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develop Definition

de·velop (di vel′əp)

transitive verb

Etymology: Fr développer < OFr desveloper < des- (L dis-), apart + voloper, to wrap, prob. OIt viluppo, a bundle < ? faluppa, bundle of straw; infl. by L volvere, to roll

intransitive verb

  1. to come into being or activity; occur or happen
  2. to become larger, fuller, better, etc.; grow or evolve, esp. by natural processes
  3. ☆ to become known or apparent; be disclosed
  4. to progress economically, socially, and politically from an underdeveloped condition the developing nations

develop Related Forms
de·vel′·op·able adjective
develop Synonyms

develop

v.

  1. To improve

    enlarge, expand, strengthen, extend, promote, advance, improve, exploit, realize, magnify, build up, augment, refine, enrich, cultivate, generate, beautify, elaborate, polish, finish, perfect, deepen, lengthen, heighten, widen, intensify, fix up, shape up*; see also grow 1, improve 1, promote 1, strengthen.

    Antonyms damage*, reduce*, stifle. *

  2. To grow

    mature, evolve, advance, progress; see grow 2.

  3. To reveal slowly

    unfold, disclose, exhibit, unravel, disentangle, uncover, make known, explain, unwind, unroll, explicate, produce, detail, tell, state, recount, unfurl, untwist, uncoil, untwine, account for, give account of, bring out; see also narrate, reveal 1.

    Antonyms hide*, conceal*, blurt out. *

  4. To work out

    enlarge upon, expatiate, elaborate, fill out, fill in, amplify, evolve, explicate, expand upon, go into detail, build on; see also explain, increase 1.

    Antonyms decrease*, summarize*, abridge. *

  5. To come into being

    emerge, originate, occur; see begin 2, happen 2.

  6. To come to have

    acquire, manifest, incur, contract; see catch 4, form 4, receive 1.

develop Usage Examples

Object

  • country: In developing countries, using land to create an artificial food chain has resulted in misery for hundreds of millions of people.
  • skill: A major part of the course will focus on further developing the mathematical writing skills of the student through the device of a notebook.
  • strategy: Charnwood Boro Council has developed a strategy to address the problems relating to empty homes within the boro.
  • understanding: This means you develop a good understanding of the language in a short time.
  • world: The roots of hunger The developing world hasn't always been hungry.
  • relationship: It can be a very long, slow process to develop a relationship of trust.

Preposition: over

  • decade: The BA PWM is taught through the perspectives of popular music studies and ethnomusicology as these have developed over recent decades.

Noun phrase with adjective complement

  • necessary: The National Synods of Scotland and Wales would be asked to develop the partnerships necessary to operate ecumenically.
  • such: And, in this sense only, we can talk of meaning in language, and develop social studies such as history and etymology.

Used with why or when

  • that: Many projects have been developed that explore to a high degree the use of alternative sustainable energy solutions.

Infinitive complement

  • assist: This Resource Pack has been developed to assist individuals in setting up, organizing and running an effective mentoring scheme for the first time.
  • meet: Industry standards were then developed to meet the needs of wider communities of interest.
  • enable: A national payment portal must be developed to enable businesses to pay for road pricing schemes with ease.

Present participle complement

  • exist: Since attaining university status in 1992, millions of pounds have been invested to develop existing research groups and to create new ones.

Preposition: in

  • collaboration: All these projects are being intensively developed in international collaborations.
  • partnership: Unique to Fasthosts and developed in partnership with Microsoft, Envisage delivers the most reliable and high performance shared web hosting solutions available today.
  • consultation: Kuoni Schools program of Worldwide Expeditions has been developed in consultation with practicing school teachers to provide a unique experience for British school groups.
  • response: The course is continuously being developed in response to feedback given by participants.
  • association: This aspect of project DARE will be developed in association with our partners.
  • context: Salters provide an innovative approach to teaching and learning chemistry in which chemical principles are developed in the context of the applications of chemistry.