EN

Synonyms for develop

  • verb

Most common

evolve grow produce expand arise rise shift formulate

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Evolve — to create

evolve, grow, produce, expand, create, promote, cultivate, acquire, engender, get, generate, come along, increase, bring forth, form, forme US, open, amplify, enlarge, contrive, unfold, disclose, exhibit

2. Arise

arise, rise, originate, spring up, eventuate, transpire, uprise

3. Shift — to progress through a sequence of stages

shift, transfigure, reconvert, transume dated, transfigurate rare

4. Formulate

formulate, elaborate, explicate, enunciate

Other

educate, mature, prepare, exploit, uncover, lay open, modernize, modernise UK, break, germinate, perfect, train, bloom

Antonyms

liquidate, revert, recapitulate

All antonyms of develop →

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To progress through a sequence of stages.

    Isabel developed from a tropical depression to a tropical storm to a hurricane. An embryo develops into a fetus and then into an infant.

  2. v. 2

    To create.

    I need to develop a plan for the next three weeks.

  3. v. 3

    To change with a specific direction, progress.

    Let's see how things develop and then make our decision.

  4. v. 4

    To advance; to further; to promote the growth of.

Related words

Word family
developing development

Forms

Past participle
developed
e.g. developed → evolved, grown, produced, expanded…

Choose the right word

Develop, Expand, Extend, Expatiate, Dilate or Enlarge?

We may develop a thought, expand an illustration, extend a discussion, expatiate on a hobby, dilate on something joyous or sad, enlarge a volume, unfold a scheme, widen the range of treatment.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • grow "I will grow many trees here", he said to himself.
  • produce Your pessimism won't produce any positive results.
  • expand Detours expand your knowledge of the surroundings.
  • evolve I think we can evolve from our tribalist impulses.
  • arise Should anything arise, she will be prepared for it.
  • uprise The students promised to uprise if that substitute ever returned.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
developsteady
growrising
producefalling
expandsteady
evolverising
arisesteady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
get1
4 letters
open2, form1, grow1, rise1
5 letters
break1, train1, shift1, arise2, bloom1, forme
6 letters
create2, expand2, mature2, evolve2, unfold2, uprise2
7 letters
perfect2, produce2, promote2, prepare2, exhibit3, acquire3, educate3, exploit2, uncover3, amplify3, enlarge2
8 letters
increase2, generate3, disclose2, engender3, contrive2, transume
9 letters
elaborate3, cultivate3, originate4, formulate3, modernize3, germinate3, modernise, transpire3, enunciate4, eventuate, explicate3, reconvert
11 letters
transfigure
13 letters
transfigurate

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (open2 = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français
développer
Deutsch
darlegen