develop
verb (used with object)
to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state.
was developing
-
past progressiveof develop.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
While Homo erectus was developing a larger brain and smaller molar teeth, possibly as a result of eating more meat, P. robustus retained a brain only slightly larger than that of chimpanzees.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
His competitor, George Westinghouse, was developing AC, which could transmit electricity economically over much greater distances than Edison’s low-voltage DC.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Train driver-in-training Romain Hamel, 34, said in Paris that AI was developing so quickly that "we don't have enough perspective yet".
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
He said Cash App was developing Tags before TikTok magic-wand videos went mainstream, as the company was looking for ways to take the unique characteristics of the Cash App debit card “to the next level.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
He was developing a specialty in how people become experts and how they acquire skills, and how those skills get compromised.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
