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.
Just last week, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI announced that bots it was developing had escaped what was supposed to be a controlled offline environment to hack a competitor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Shares of Novo Nordisk tumbled on Friday after the healthcare giant said that a drug it was developing to treat heart disease, kidney disease and inflammation failed in a late-stage trial.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
Zuckerberg added that the company was developing AI agents, or AI chatbots that act somewhat autonomously.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
In February, Musk denied that his company was developing a phone, pushing back against a Reuters report that SpaceX was building one that would connect directly to its Starlink satellite network.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
This was developing into a bright day after many bleak ones.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
