devolve

intransitive-verb
UK: /dɪˈvɒlv/
US: /dɪˈvɑːlv/

  1. To gradually change or develop from one thing into another.

    1. The simple game can devolve into chaos quickly with too many players.
    2. The peaceful protest began to devolve into a riot as tensions increased during the march.

  2. To pass responsibilities or powers from a higher level to a lower level.

    1. The company will devolve power to its regional offices soon.
    2. The government plans to devolve more authority to the local councils in the next few years.

  3. To decline or deteriorate; to become worse.

    1. Their relationship started great, but it began to devolve rapidly.
    2. The debate quickly devolved into personal attacks instead of focusing on the real issues.

Synonyms

deteriorate degenerate shift transfer delegate worsen
devolve transitive-verb

  1. To pass on or transfer (duty, task, responsibility) to someone else.

    1. He devolves the task to his assistant every time.
    2. The manager devolves responsibilities to team members to improve their skills and efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "devolve" in English means: To gradually change or develop from one thing into another., To pass responsibilities or powers from a higher level to a lower level., To decline or deteriorate; to become worse..

The phonetic transcription of "devolve" is /dɪˈvɒlv/ in British English and /dɪˈvɑːlv/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "devolve": deteriorate, degenerate, shift, transfer, delegate, worsen.

Example usage of "devolve": "The simple game can devolve into chaos quickly with too many players.". More examples on the page.