2 syllables: de, volved. Stress on volved.
div-AHLVD
/dɪˈvɑlvd/
devolved is pronounced div-AHLVD (/dɪˈvɑlvd/). It has two syllables (de-volved), with the stress on "volved". Devolved is the past participle and adjective form of devolve, meaning to transfer power, responsibility, or decisions from a central authority to a lower level. It also describes a state or process that has regressed or fallen to a lower or more primitive condition. The term is common in political, organizational, and evolutionary discussions, often signaling a shift of control or a decline in complexity.
Devolved is the past participle and adjective form of devolve, meaning to transfer power, responsibility, or decisions from a central authority to a lower level. It also describes a state or process that has regressed or fallen to a lower or more primitive condition. The term is common in political, organizational, and evolutionary discussions, often signaling a shift of control or a decline in complexity.
"The region devolved significant autonomy after the constitutional reform."
"Critics warned that the clause would devolve decision-making to bureaucrats at the local level."
"The debate focused on whether technology has devolved public discourse into echo chambers."
Pronounce as /dɪˈvɒlvd/ in UK English or /dɪˈvɑːld/ in US English. The primary stress is on the second syllable: de- VOLVED. Start with a light 'd' followed by a short 'i' or 'ih' sound, then the stressed syllable with a clear 'vol' as in 'volt', and end with a 'vd' cluster. For audio reference, listen to standard pronunciations on Pronounce or Cambridge Dictionaries online.
Common errors include misplacing stress (placing it on the first syllable: DE-volved), blending the /l/ and /v/ into an unclear /lv/, and pronouncing the final /d/ too softly. Correct by keeping stress on the second syllable, pronouncing the /v/ as a distinct labiodental fricative, and ending with a crisp /d/ rather than a voiceless stop. Practice with minimal pairs like 'devolve' vs 'devolved' to feel the final stop.
In US English, /dɪˈvɑːld/ uses a broad /ɑː/ vowel in the stressed syllable and a rhotic r-like quality is not present, ending with /ld/. UK English typically has /dɪˈvɒlvd/ with a short /ɒ/ in the stressed syllable and a fully voiced final /d/; Australia often resembles UK here but may show slight vowel quality shifts like /ɒ/. In rapid speech, vowels may reduce slightly in unstressed syllables in all varieties.
The difficulty lies in the two-letter cluster /lv/ after a stressed syllable, requiring precise tongue positioning: the /l/ is light but the following /v/ is a voiced labiodental fricative that follows with a subtle teeth contact. The final /d/ must be released crisply to avoid a trailing /t/ or /dʒ/ effect. Keeping the mouth ready for the /v/ while transitioning from /l/ reduces slippage and ensures a clean final consonant.
Note the strong stress on the second syllable and the /v/ immediately after the /l/; the /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ vowel of the stressed syllable carries audible tension. Maintain a clear, voiced /v/ and avoid conflating /v/ with /f/; ensure the /l/ is light and the tongue tip rests near the alveolar ridge without excessive contact. This helps prevent a mispronunciation like /dɪˈdɒlvd/ or /diˈvold/.
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Devolve comes from the Latin devolvere, meaning to roll down or turn aside, from de- (down) + volvere (to roll). In Latin, devolvere conveys the physical sense of turning something downward or transferring something from one place to another. In English, the word historically carried a legal and administrative nuance—transferring authority or responsibility from a higher office to a lower one. By the 17th and 18th centuries, devolve appeared in political and legal discourse to describe shifting duties or power from central governments to regional or subordinate bodies. The meaning broadened to include any transfer of responsibility and, later, metaphorical uses like the decline or deterioration of systems, organizations, or processes. In contemporary usage, devolved is common in politics, business management, and science to denote a structured delegation of tasks or a regression in capabilities, depending on context. First known uses appear in early modern political treatises and legal documents, with formal adoption into general lexicon by the 19th century, paralleling the rise of centralized-state governance and later debates about federalism and autonomy. Throughout its history, devolved retains a consistent core sense: a downward shift—whether in power, complexity, or quality—often accompanied by a change in the locus of control.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "devolved" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "devolved"
-ved sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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