Devolve
Devolve verb - To become worse or of less value.
Usage example: the once-lovely neighborhood has devolved into a squalid slum
Decay and devolve are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Decay" instead a verb "Devolve".
Nearby Words: devolution, devolving
Decay
Decay verb - To become worse or of less value.
Usage example: the restaurant's standards for food and service had decayed over the years
Mutual synonyms
Cite this Source
Decay and Devolve. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/devolve/decay
Devolve & Decay. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/devolve/decay>.
Decay or Devolve. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/devolve/decay.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "devolve" and "decay" have occurred on timeline