French Conversation · Level 74
60 words
French word
évoluer
Pronunciation
IPA/evolɥe/
Meaning
- verbchange
Example
La situation évolue rapidement.
The situation is changing rapidly.
More examples
Le marché du travail évolue vers plus de flexibilité.
The labor market is evolving toward greater flexibility.
Core concept
A living process that gradually takes on a different form.
Common phrases
évoluer dans le temps
evolve over time
évoluer rapidement
evolve rapidly
évoluer vers
evolve toward ___
Similar words
changer: Change in form or character and become something different.
s'améliorer: Reach a better state than before.
progresser: Advance steadily with visible improvement or development.
s'adapter: Alter one's state or approach to suit new circumstances.
Definition in French
Se modifier ou se développer peu à peu, sans changement brusque.
Word origin
The verb évoluer entered French from Latin evolvere, "unroll," and preserves the idea of something unfolding step by step into a changed state.
Usage tips
- Évoluer can describe a situation, condition, relationship, or technology without implying improvement; progresser is more explicitly positive.
Other meanings
- developverb
- progressverb
- growverb
Opposites
- stagnerstagnateverb
- régresserregressverb
Related words
- évolutionevolutionnoun
- évolutifevolutionaryadjective
- évoluéadvancedadjective