developing
Americanadjective
-
undergoing development; growing; evolving.
-
(of a nation or geographical area) having a standard of living or level of industrial production well below that possible with financial or technical aid; not yet highly industrialized.
the developing world.
Other Word Forms
- nondeveloping adjective
- self-developing adjective
- undeveloping adjective
Etymology
Origin of developing
Explanation
Use the adjective developing to describe a country that's relatively poor and has a lower standard of living than most other countries in the world. There's not a specific standard for calling a country developing, but there are some societies that most of the world agrees are less industrialized than most. Developing countries generally have poorer people and a less vibrant economy than more developed countries. Some countries object to being called developing, since it implies that all countries want to become "developed," or more Western in their economy and government, which is not necessarily true.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A major hurdle in developing these treatments has been identifying antibodies that can stop EBV without triggering an immune reaction against the therapy itself, which often happens when antibodies come from non-human sources.
From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026
Meanwhile, the industry is developing another 164 million square feet of self-storage, according to TractIQ.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
In developing the state’s data on greenhouse gases, the agency’s experts consider guidance from the U.N.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
Swinney said he did not agree with Trump's comments, adding: "I think we have got enormous challenges about energy, but Scotland is an energy-rich country which is developing formidable renewable energy resources."
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Kindling the spark: Recognizing and developing musical talent.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
