develop
verb (used with object)
to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state.
were developing
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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.
By the early afternoon, winds of 40 to 50 mph were developing across the Antelope Valley and the foothills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026
Lee told Xi that economic relations were developing from "a vertical structure of economic cooperation to a more horizontal and mutually beneficial one".
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2025
Muñoz reasons that these planets could have interacted with their surroundings in ways astronomers could never have anticipated as they were developing.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2025
"Going back to the 1890s, they were developing the Fruit Pastilles, Fruit Gums - I still manage projects working on those brands," he says.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2025
I knew that it was a reactionary project, but it at least showed that you were developing some political consciousness.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
