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devolve

verb
de·​volve | \ di-ˈvälv How to pronounce devolve (audio) , -ˈvȯlv, dē-\
devolved; devolving

Definition of devolve

transitive verb

: to pass on (something, such as responsibility, rights, or powers) from one person or entity to another devolving to western Europe full responsibility for its own defense— Christopher Lane

intransitive verb

1a : to pass by transmission or succession the estate devolved on a distant cousin
b : to fall or be passed usually as a responsibility or obligation the responsibility for breadwinning has devolved increasingly upon women— Barbara Ehrenreich
2 : to come by or as if by flowing down streams devolving from the mountains his allegedly subversive campaigns … devolve from his belief in basic American rights— Frank Deford
3 : to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution The scene devolved into chaos.
Synonyms & Antonyms The Evolution of Devolve More Example Sentences Learn More about devolve

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The Evolution of Devolve

Devolve evolved from Latin volvere, a word that means "to roll." The prefix de- means "down." (Other words that revolve around volvere are the five other words containing -vol- found in this paragraph.) Knowing which preposition to use with devolve can seem a bit involved, but it's really not all that convoluted. Responsibility or rights devolve "on," "upon," or "to" someone. When something comes into a present state by flowing down from a source, either literally or figuratively, we say "devolve from," as in "customs that devolve from old beliefs." And when the devolving is a downward evolution to a lower state we say "devolves into" (or sometimes "devolves to"), as in "order devolves into chaos."

Examples of devolve in a Sentence

She cynically asserts that our species is devolving. Somehow the debate devolved into a petty competition to see who could get more applause. Community leaders hope that the new government will devolve more power to the community itself. Responsibility has devolved to the individual teachers.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Police mostly succeeded in separating opposing protesters, but after taunts and chants, the showdown between right-wing activists and those protesting their presence devolved into a roving game of cat-and-mouse. — oregonlive.com, "‘John Doe,’ 2 teens, 10 others arrested in Portland protests," 18 Aug. 2019 Absent, amoral, or aggressive adults can create a void where young kids too easily devolve into pain, self-destruction, or violence. — Rosy Cordero, EW.com, "Get first looks at the late Cameron Boyce's final screen projects," 24 July 2019 But whereas health and justice policy are largely devolved, drug law is not. — The Economist, "Scotland overtakes America as the world’s drug-overdose capital," 18 July 2019 What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult. — Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, "Sidewalk 2019: The 10 hottest tickets and longest lines to expect," 20 Aug. 2019 By the end of that second week, Leka’s condition devolved into what can only be called a full-on panic attack. — Kathryn Miles, Outside Online, "How to Introduce Your New Dog to Your Old Dog," 14 Aug. 2019 As in the novel, the character study devolves into caper at the end. — Alexandra Lange, Curbed, "What ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette?’ meant to me as a woman in architecture," 13 Aug. 2019 One quickly devolved after protesters used what appeared to be a long, homemade slingshot to hurl rocks and bricks at a police station. — Yanan Wang, The Christian Science Monitor, "Why Hong Kong protests ebb and flow, like water," 5 Aug. 2019 The child’s harried voice had devolved into the word salad of the psychotic. — The New Yorker, "Toni Morrison, Remembered By Writers," 10 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'devolve.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of devolve

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for devolve

Middle English, from Latin devolvere, from de- + volvere to roll — more at voluble

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More Definitions for devolve

devolve

verb
How to pronounce devolve (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of devolve

formal
chiefly US : to gradually go from an advanced state to a less advanced state
: to pass (responsibility, power, etc.) from one person or group to another person or group at a lower level of authority
: to be given to someone after the owner has died

See the full definition for devolve in the English Language Learners Dictionary

devolve

intransitive verb
de·​volve | \ di-ˈvȯlv, -ˈvälv How to pronounce devolve (audio) \
devolved; devolving

Legal Definition of devolve

1 : to pass by transfer or succession the estate devolved to a distant cousin
2 : to fall or be passed usually as an obligation or responsibility in case of the removal of the President from office, or of his…inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President — U.S. Constitution art. II

History and Etymology for devolve

Medieval Latin devolvi, passive of devolvere to roll down, from Latin, from de down, away + volvere to roll

More from Merriam-Webster on devolve

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with devolve

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for devolve

Nglish: Translation of devolve for Spanish Speakers

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