evolve
Americanverb (used with object)
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to develop gradually.
to evolve a scheme.
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to give off or emit, as odors or vapors.
verb (used without object)
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to come forth gradually into being; develop; undergo evolution.
The whole idea evolved from a casual remark.
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to gradually change one's opinions or beliefs.
candidates who are still evolving on the issue;
an evolved feminist mom.
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Biology. to develop by a process of evolution to a different adaptive state or condition.
The human species evolved from an ancestor that was probably arboreal.
verb
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to develop or cause to develop gradually
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(intr) (of animal or plant species) to undergo evolution
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(tr) to yield, emit, or give off (heat, gas, vapour, etc)
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To undergo biological evolution, as in the development of new species or new traits within a species.
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To develop a characteristic through the process of evolution.
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To undergo change and development, as the structures of the universe.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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self-evolvingadjective
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evolvementnoun
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evolvernoun
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self-evolvedadjective
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nonevolvingadjective
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evolvableadjective
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unevolvedadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has evolvedperfect 3rd person singular
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have evolvedperfect
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have been evolvingperfect progressive
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are evolvingprogressive
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is evolvingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been evolvingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am evolvingprogressive 1st person singular
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evolvessingular 3rd person
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evolvingparticiple
Past
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had evolvedperfect
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was evolvingprogressive singular
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had been evolvingperfect progressive
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evolvedsimple
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were evolvingprogressive plural
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evolvedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of evolve
First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin ēvolvere “to unroll, open, unfold,” equivalent to ē- e- 1 + volvere “to roll, turn”
Explanation
When something evolves, it changes, or develops over time, like your taste in music and clothes, which evolve as you get older. Evolve comes from the Latin word evolvere, "to unroll" — the perfect image to keep in mind when thinking of this verb. When something is unrolling or unraveling, it is doing so gradually, not all at once. Evolve describes a development that is taking its time to reach its final destination. Think change with a speed limit. Your taste in music evolved from the nursery rhymes you loved as a little kid to whatever you like today. Even places can evolve, like the old-fashioned coffee shops that evolved into Internet cafés as people began to bring their laptops with them.
Vocabulary lists containing evolve
ACT Vocabulary List
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
White’s vision intended for his music to reach a universal audience, evolve consciousness and change the world, using positivity as his North Star.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
Summit’s drug, a so-called bispecific antibody, aims to evolve that strategy by activating the immune system while simultaneously starving the tumor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
Because viruses evolve continuously, vaccines often need regular reformulation and annual updates.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
“The journey for the company was to evolve from being a toy manufacturer that was making items to become an IP company that is managing franchises,” Kreiz said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
Organisms that evolve on a quite different world will doubtless sing its praises too.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
