Develop — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /di-ˈve-ləp/ de·vel·op

Meaning & Definition of Develop

Develop (verb)

  1. to work out the possibilities of
  2. to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time
  3. to make active or promote the growth of

Develop (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to gradually become clearer or more detailed

    "as the story of the bombing developed, the scope of the tragedy became more apparent"

    similar: elaborate, evolve, unfold
    related: advance, fare, forge, get along, get on, march, proceed, progress, blossom, grow, mature, ripen, materialize, emerge, play out

  2. to come to have gradually

    "the youngster developed a taste for green olives"

    similar: acquire, cultivate, form
    related: absorb, adopt, embrace, take in, take on, gain, get, obtain, achieve, attain, reach, foster, nourish, nurture, promote
    opposite: lose
    near: abandon, desert, forsake, cast, discard, ditch, dump, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough, throw away, throw out, unload

  3. to become mature

    "the wine is developing nicely in the new oak barrels"

    similar: age, grow, grow up, mature, progress, ripen
    related: mellow, soften, bloom, blossom, burgeon, flourish, flower, open, unfold, advance, evolve, get along, get on, gray
    near: decay, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, sink, worsen, droop, dry, fade, flag, sag, shrivel, wane, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, regress, retrogress, revert, backslide, lapse, return

  4. to express more fully and in greater detail

    "marketing people developed the initial idea into a complete promotional campaign"

    similar: amplify, dilate (on or upon), elaborate (on), enlarge (on or upon), expand, flesh (out)
    related: add (to), complement, supplement, discourse, expatiate, ramble, run on
    opposite: abbreviate, abridge, condense, shorten
    near: compress, contract, outline, summarize, sum up

  5. to produce or bring about especially by long or repeated effort

    "outside consultants helped the company develop an effective marketing strategy"

    similar: carve (out), forge, grind (out), hammer out, thrash (out), work out, work up, bring forth
    related: churn out, crank out, turn out, cobble (together or up), throw up, compose, construct, craft, create, engineer, fabricate, fashion, form, frame, generate, manufacture, mint, model, shape, tailor, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), devise, hatch, invent, originate, accomplish, achieve, bring off, carry out, effect
    near: demolish, destroy, dismantle, raze, tear down, ruin, undo, unmake, wreck

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Develop

The most common words with a similar meaning to Develop:

elaborate, evolve, unfold, acquire, cultivate, form, age, grow, grow up, mature, progress, ripen, amplify, dilate (on or upon), elaborate (on), enlarge (on or upon), expand, flesh (out), carve (out), forge, grind (out), hammer out, thrash (out), work out, work up, bring forth

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Develop

Words with the opposite meaning of Develop:

lose, abbreviate, abridge, condense, shorten

Related Words for Develop

advance, fare, get along, get on, march, proceed, blossom, materialize, emerge, play out, absorb, adopt, embrace, take in, take on, gain, get, obtain, achieve, attain, reach, foster, nourish, nurture, promote, mellow, soften, bloom, burgeon, flourish

Near Antonyms of Develop

abandon, desert, forsake, cast, discard, ditch, dump, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough, throw away, throw out, unload, decay, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, sink, worsen, droop, dry, fade, flag, sag, shrivel

Word Forms of Develop

Inflections: developed, developing, develops

Derived words: developable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Develop

French développer, from Old French desveloper, desvoluper to unwrap, expose, from des- de- + envoloper to enclose envelop

First known use: 1741t

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Develop

Words & Phrases Containing Develop

codevelop

Frequently Asked Questions about Develop

What does "Develop" mean?

"Develop" means to work out the possibilities of. As a verb, it is defined as: to work out the possibilities of. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Develop"?

Other words for "Develop" include elaborate, evolve, unfold, acquire, cultivate, form, age and grow. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Develop" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Develop"?

There are 97 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Develop". Common alternatives include elaborate, evolve, unfold, acquire, cultivate, form, age, grow, grow up and mature.

What is the opposite of "Develop"?

Antonyms of "Develop" include lose, abbreviate, abridge, condense and shorten. Near antonyms include abandon, desert, forsake and cast.

How do you use "Develop" in a sentence?

Examples of "Develop" in a sentence: "as the story of the bombing developed, the scope of the tragedy became more apparent"; "the youngster developed a taste for green olives"; "the wine is developing nicely in the new oak barrels".

Is "Develop" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Develop" is a verb.

Is "Develop" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Develop" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Develop"?

"Develop" is pronounced /di-ˈve-ləp/ and divided into syllables as de·vel·op.