devolving
Transferring to others
Devolving is the present participle of devolve, meaning to transfer or delegate power, responsibility, or authority to a lower level: The central government is devolving authority to regional councils.
More commonly, devolving describes deterioration or regression—declining into a worse state: The meeting devolved into shouting, The debate is devolving into personal attacks.
Transferring responsibility downward
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- subsidiarityLocal authority when able
- localismPreference for nearby things
self-governance · home rule · self-determination · regionalism · dispersion · empowerment · transfer · handover
Becoming progressively worse
- decliningDecreasing in strength
- degradingLowering in worth
- decayingUndergoing organic breakdown
- worseningBecoming more severe
regressing · backsliding · retrogressing · atrophying · crumbling · disintegrating · eroding · collapsing
Returning to earlier state
- returningGoing back to origin
- relapsingReturning to worse state
- regressingReturning to earlier state
- throwbackReturn to ancestral type
atavism · primitive · ancestral · primal · undoing · backtracking · retreating · receding
Making less or smaller
- streamliningMaking more aerodynamic or efficient
- paringCutting away rind
- distillingPurifying through vaporization
- condensingReducing in volume
stripping · simplifying · dumbing down · diluting · diminishing · flattening · lowering · lessening
delegation
Transferring responsibility downward
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- subsidiarityLocal authority when able
localism · self-governance · home rule · self-determination · regionalism · dispersion · empowerment · transfer · handover · dispersal
deteriorating
Becoming progressively worse
worsening · regressing · backsliding · retrogressing · atrophying · crumbling · disintegrating · eroding · collapsing · unraveling
reverting
Returning to earlier state
- returningGoing back to origin
- relapsingReturning to worse state
- regressingReturning to earlier state
throwback · atavism · primitive · ancestral · primal · undoing · backtracking · retreating · receding · falling back
reducing
Making less or smaller
- streamliningMaking more aerodynamic or efficient
- paringCutting away rind
- distillingPurifying through vaporization
condensing · stripping · simplifying · dumbing down · diluting · diminishing · flattening · lowering · lessening · cheapening
devolvingcentralizing
Unifying under one control
consolidating · concentrating · recentralizing · federalizing · nationalizing
devolvingevolving
Changing gradually over time
progressing · advancing · improving · developing · maturing
devolvingassuming
Accepting as true unverified
retaining · centralizing · consolidating · reclaiming · taking on
involve, evolve, involved, revolution, evolution, involvement, revolver, revolving, evolved