Definitions

developing

[dih-vel-uh-ping] / dɪˈvɛl ə pɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

changing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

changeable dynamic growing uncertain unstable

STRONG

altering alternating modifying wavering

WEAK

inconstant irresolute mobile unsteady

Antonyms

STRONGEST

certain stable steady sure

WEAK

fixed unchanging

ADJECTIVE

embryonic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

evolving immature incipient undeveloped

WEAK

beginning early elementary germinal

Antonyms

STRONGEST

adult developed grown mature

ADJECTIVE

emergent

Synonyms

WEAK

appearing budding coming efflorescent emanant emanating issuing forth outgoing rising

Antonyms

WEAK

declining dependent

ADJECTIVE

green

Synonyms

STRONGEST

fresh grassy leafy lush raw tender verdant

STRONG

budding burgeoning flourishing foliate growing immature infant juvenile maturing pullulating recent sprouting supple unripe

WEAK

bosky callow half-formed pliable puerile undecayed undried unfledged ungrown verduous youthful

Antonyms

STRONGEST

healthy

STRONG

adult dying mature old shrinking withering

WEAK

withered

ADJECTIVE

growing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

burgeoning expanding flourishing spreading thriving viable

STRONG

amplifying animate augmenting budding crescent dilating enlarging fructifying germinating living maturing mushrooming pullulating sprouting stretching swelling waxing

WEAK

crescive

Antonyms

STRONGEST

failing languishing

STRONG

dead dying shrinking

WEAK

lessening withering

ADJECTIVE

improving

Synonyms

STRONG

bettering correcting elaborating fixing remodeling repairing

WEAK

convalescent

ADJECTIVE

increasing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

expanding growing rising

STRONG

accumulating augmenting booming broadening enlarging flourishing maturing multiplying proliferating snowballing sprouting swelling waxing widening

WEAK

getting big piling up

ADJECTIVE

infant/infantile

Synonyms

WEAK

baby babyish callow childish childlike early emergent green growing immature infantine initial juvenile kid naive nascent newborn puerile tender unfledged unripe weak youthful

Antonyms

WEAK

adult grown-up mature

ADJECTIVE

juvenile

Synonyms

STRONGEST

youthful

STRONG

adolescent blooming budding formative green growing infant junior tender young

WEAK

babyish beardless boyish callow childlike fresh girlish immature inexperienced infantile jejune kid stuff milk-fed naive pubescent puerile teenage undeveloped unfledged unripe unsophisticated unweaned vernal younger

Antonyms

STRONG

experienced mature old older shrinking withering

WEAK

adult grown-up

ADJECTIVE

living

Synonyms

STRONGEST

breathing contemporary

STRONG

alert animated awake brisk continuing current dynamic live operative persisting subsisting ticking warm

WEAK

alive around existent extant in use lively ongoing strong vigorous vital

Antonyms

STRONG

apathetic asleep inactive lethargic sluggish

WEAK

dead

ADJECTIVE

maturing

Synonyms

STRONG

advancing aging blossoming consummating evolving growing mellowing perfecting preparing sprouting sweetening

WEAK

growing up

Antonyms

WEAK

declining dying fading

ADJECTIVE

ongoing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

continuing current growing open-ended successful

WEAK

advancing evolving extant heading in process in progress marching progressing unfinished unfolding

Antonyms

WEAK

incontinuous infrequent intermittent stopping

ADJECTIVE

progressive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

growing progressing

STRONG

accelerating advancing continuing escalating evolving improving increasing intensifying

WEAK

advanced continuous dynamic enterprising go ahead graduated moving forward ongoing up-and-coming up-to-date

ADJECTIVE

revolutionary

Synonyms

STRONGEST

contemporary innovative modern radical

STRONG

avant-garde latest left novel

WEAK

advanced advancing cutting edge forward-looking just out open-minded state-of-the-art up-and-coming

Antonyms

STRONGEST

old old-fashioned

ADJECTIVE

thriving

Synonyms

STRONGEST

booming burgeoning flourishing growing healthy prosperous robust wealthy

STRONG

advancing arrived blooming cooking progressing prospering roaring rolling

WEAK

doing well going strong have it made have the wherewithal home free on top of heap prolific rich sitting pretty

Antonyms

STRONGEST

failing infirm poor unhealthy

WEAK

declining languishing losing

ADJECTIVE

young

Synonyms

STRONGEST

budding inexperienced new youthful

STRONG

adolescent blooming blossoming crude fledgling green growing infant inferior junior juvenile little modern newborn punk raw recent tender tenderfoot

WEAK

boyish boylike burgeoning callow childish childlike early fresh girlish girllike half-grown ignorant newish not aged pubescent puerile undeveloped undisciplined unfinished unfledged unlearned unpracticed unripe unseasoned untried unversed vernal

Antonyms

STRONGEST

experienced old

STRONG

adult healthy mature older sophisticated

NOUN

aging

Synonyms

STRONG

crumbling declining fading fermenting maturing mellowing slumping stale waning

WEAK

getting along getting on senescent wearing out

NOUN

blossoming

Synonyms

STRONGEST

flowering

STRONG

bloom budding flourishing thriving

Antonyms

WEAK

withering

NOUN

development

Synonyms

STRONGEST

advancement evolution expansion improvement increase progress

STRONG

addition adulthood advance augmentation boost buildup chrysalis enlargement flowering hike maturation maturity ontogenesis ontogeny progression reinforcement ripening spread spreading unfolding

WEAK

adding to advancing augmenting elaborating evolvement evolving increasing making progress maturing ongoing perfecting reinforcing unraveling upgrowth upping

Antonyms

STRONGEST

decline decrease halt retreat retrogression stoppage

STRONG

lessening reduction shrinkage stagnation withdrawal

NOUN

efflorescence

Synonyms

STRONG

anthesis flowering folding rash redness sprouting

NOUN

unfolding

Synonyms

STRONGEST

flowering

STRONG

addition adulthood advance advancement advancing augmentation augmenting boost buildup elaborating enlargement evolution evolving expansion growth hike improvement increase increasing maturation maturing maturity perfecting progress progression reinforcement reinforcing ripening spread spreading unraveling upping

WEAK

adding to evolvement making progress ongoing upgrowth

Antonyms

STRONG

decline decrease diminishment failure halt lessening loss reduction retreat retrogression shrinkage stagnation stop stoppage subtraction withdrawal

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.

"Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult," he wrote on X.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman responded to the latest setback on X: "Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult."

From BBC • May 29, 2026

Yale economist Robert Shiller is widely credited with developing much of the theory behind perpetual futures contracts back in the 1990s.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

Last month, Russia’s government announced that scientists are developing a gene-therapy treatment aimed at slowing cellular aging as part of “New Health Preservation Technologies,” Putin’s $26 billion longevity initiative.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

“Suit yourself. At least you’re developing some acting skills. In case you decide you don’t want to devote your whole life to math.”

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

developing

Example Sentences

Related Words