develop
develop — verb
1. to become bigger, stronger, or more advanced over time, or to deliberately help
to become bigger, stronger, or more advanced over time, or to deliberately help something grow or improve in this way
Over the summer, the tiny seedling developed into a sturdy young cherry tree.
develop + into + noun phrase
Kenji developed his Mandarin skills by practicing with native speakers every day.
develop + noun (skill, ability)
The empty lot on Elm Street has developed into a beautiful community garden.
Regular swimming helps develop the muscles in your shoulders and back.
The small family bakery developed into a chain of fifty shops across Taiwan.
- grow
more general, about size increase; 'develop' adds complexity and advancement
- mature
focuses on reaching a final, fully-developed state; more formal
- evolve
suggests gradual change over a long period, often with improvement; slightly more formal
- progress
emphasizes forward movement toward a goal; can be intransitive only
- shrink
opposite of getting bigger
- decline
opposite of becoming more advanced; suggests going backward
- deteriorate
opposite of improving; becoming worse instead of better
文法句型
develop + into + noun
develop + noun (skills, ability, muscle)
develop from + noun
常見錯誤
2. to create a new product, system, method, or idea through deliberate effort, usua
to create a new product, system, method, or idea through deliberate effort, usually over a period of time
A team of engineers in Seattle developed a battery that charges in under five minutes.
develop + (new) product
After three years of testing, the lab developed a working prototype of the device.
Bilal developed an app that connects small farmers with local markets in his region.
The university is developing a new treatment for children with severe food allergies.
Diego and his colleagues developed a simple method to test water quality in remote villages.
- create
broader, can be used for art and simpler things; 'develop' implies more process and testing
- invent
specifically about making something entirely new for the first time
- design
focuses on planning the look and function; 'develop' includes building and testing
- produce
focuses on making in quantity; less about the creative process
文法句型
develop + noun (product, system, method)
develop + noun + for + noun
develop + noun + to-infinitive
用法筆記
The object is typically something complex or innovative — software, a drug, a system, a strategy. For simpler everyday creations, 'make' or 'create' is more natural.
常見錯誤
3. to gradually begin to happen or become noticeable, especially a situation, feeli
to gradually begin to happen or become noticeable, especially a situation, feeling, or problem that was not there before
A serious disagreement developed between the two departments over the budget cuts.
disagreement / problem / situation + develop
As the storm moved closer, a sense of panic developed among the coastal villagers.
Tendai watched a close friendship develop between his daughter and the elderly neighbor.
Tensions developed along the border after the two countries disagreed on trade rules.
A strange pattern of lights developed on the radar screen just before midnight.
文法句型
noun + develop
develop + between + noun
develop + among + noun
develop + from + noun
常見錯誤
4. to begin to suffer from a disease, medical condition, or unwanted physical or me
to begin to suffer from a disease, medical condition, or unwanted physical or mental problem
Eve developed a bad cough after walking home in the cold winter rain.
develop + illness / symptom
The patient developed a red skin rash after taking the new medication for two days.
If left untreated, this mild infection can develop into a serious lung condition.
Ravindra developed diabetes in his forties and had to change his diet completely.
The puppy developed a fear of loud noises after being caught in a thunderstorm.
- contract
more formal, mostly used for serious diseases; less common in everyday speech
- catch
informal, for contagious illnesses like colds and flu
- get
general and informal; works for most health problems
- come down with
informal phrasal verb, for mild illnesses
- recover from
opposite process — getting better instead of becoming ill
- shake off
informal, getting rid of a minor illness
文法句型
develop + noun (illness, condition, symptom)
develop + into + noun (more serious condition)
用法筆記
Common with medical conditions (develop cancer, develop allergies, develop depression). For minor temporary illnesses like a cold, 'catch' or 'get' is more frequent in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
5. to put up buildings such as homes, stores, or factories across an area of ground
to put up buildings such as homes, stores, or factories across an area of ground, transforming how that land looks and what it is used for
The city council plans to develop the old railway yard into a park with apartments.
develop + (land) into + (new use)
A construction company bought the farmland and developed it into a large shopping center.
Environmental groups strongly opposed the plan to develop the protected coastal wetland.
The abandoned port area has been developed into a lively waterfront with restaurants and shops.
The government wants to develop the northern region to attract new industries and jobs.
- preserve
keeping land in its natural state, opposite of building on it
- leave undeveloped
direct opposite — not changing the land at all
文法句型
develop + noun (land, area, site)
develop + noun + into + noun
be developed + for + purpose
用法筆記
Frequently used in passive or past-participle form: 'a developed area' vs 'an undeveloped area'. In urban planning contexts, 'develop' often carries political or environmental weight depending on the speaker's position.
常見錯誤
6. to use chemical solutions to make a visible image appear on photographic film or
to use chemical solutions to make a visible image appear on photographic film or paper that has been exposed to light
Megan took a roll of film to a shop to have it developed the same day.
have + film + developed (causative)
Christopher learned to develop black-and-white photos in his high school darkroom.
The old roll of film was finally developed after spending twenty years in a drawer.
You need special chemicals and complete darkness to develop traditional film photographs.
The photography club showed the students how to develop their own pictures in the lab.
文法句型
develop + noun (film, photo, roll)
have + noun + developed
get + noun + developed
用法筆記
This sense is becoming less common as digital photography replaces film. However, it is still used for specialty film photography, art photography courses, and historical contexts.
常見錯誤
7. to explain or expand an idea, argument, theory, or creative work in detail, maki
to explain or expand an idea, argument, theory, or creative work in detail, making it more thorough and complete
In his latest book, the author develops the idea that social media shapes human memory.
develop + the idea / argument / theme
Chidi spent several years developing his theory about how children learn second languages.
The professor asked the students to develop their arguments with more supporting evidence.
Eli developed the main musical theme throughout the second movement of the symphony.
The first chapter of the novel develops the backstory of each main character in detail.
- elaborate on
adds details to something already stated; phrasal verb, slightly less formal
- expand on
make something bigger or more complete by adding information
- expound
formal, suggests a thorough, systematic explanation
- unfold
suggests revealing something gradually; more literary
文法句型
develop + noun (idea, argument, theme, theory)
develop + noun + with + noun
develop + noun + by + gerund