develop means 'to grow, create, or improve something over time'.
develop :
to grow, to create, to improve
verb
▪ The company developed a new app.
▪ The company created a new app.
▪ He developed his skills through practice.
▪ He improved his skills through practice.
paraphrasing
▪ create – develop
▪ improve – develop
▪ grow – develop
▪ build – develop
Pronunciation
develop [dɪˈvɛləp]
The stress is on the second syllable 'vel' and sounds like 'di-VEH-lup'.
Common phrases and grammar about develop
develop - Common meaning
verb
to grow, to create, to improve
Part of Speech Changes for "develop"
▪ development (noun) – the process of developing
▪ developer (noun) – someone who develops something
▪ developmental (adjective) – related to development
Common Expressions with "develop"
▪ develop a plan – create a plan
▪ develop a product – create a product
▪ develop skills – improve skills
▪ develop a relationship – build a relationship
Important examples of develop in TOEIC
Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC vocabulary questions, develop is typically used to mean create or improve something.
▪The company plans to develop a new marketing strategy.
▪The company plans to make a new marketing strategy.
Example of a confusing word: devise (to invent)
▪The company plans to devise a new marketing strategy.
▪The company plans to invent a new marketing strategy.
"Develop" means "to create" or "improve" something over time, and is commonly used in contexts like creating strategies, plans, or products. In "The company plans to develop a new marketing strategy," the use of "develop" is correct and natural. "Devise," on the other hand, means "to invent" or "formulate," and while it can be used similarly to "develop," it often emphasizes the aspect of inventiveness or cleverness. Although "devise" could fit in this context, it may slightly shift the focus to the inventiveness of the strategy rather than its development over time. Therefore, while both can be correct, "develop" is more commonly used in business contexts for strategic planning.
Grammar examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC grammar questions, develop is used as a verb and may require correct verb forms.
▪They need to develop a new system by next month.
▪They need to create a new system by next month.
develop
Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC
develop a strategy
means to create a plan
▪The company will develop a business in Asia.
▪The company will start and grow a business in Asia.
develop a reputation
means to build a good name
▪She developed a reputation for excellence.
▪She built a good name for excellence.
Differences between similar words and develop
develop
,
create
differences
develop is used to grow or improve something that already exists; create is to make something new.
develop
▪They developed a new marketing strategy.
▪They need to develop a strategy for sales.
create
▪They created a new marketing strategy.
▪They made a new marketing strategy from scratch.
develop
,
improve
differences
develop means to grow or enhance something already existing, while improve means to make it better.
develop
▪They developed their sales team.
▪They made their sales team better.
improve
▪They improved their sales team.
▪They made their sales team better.
Words with the same origin as develop
The origin of develop
develop comes from the Latin 'developare', meaning 'to make something unfold or grow'.
Word structure
develop is divided into the prefix 'de' (completely) and root 'velop' (wrap). It means 'to unwrap completely'.
Words with the same origin
The word's root is 'velop'. Words with the same root include envelope, involve.
