My sister is majoring in developmental psychology.
Source: tatoeba (4283724)
Developmental
/dɪˌvɛləpˈmɛntəl/
Synonyms for "developmental" (84 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (17)
Noun(8 words)
actualizinganimal life historycapacity buildingcapacity building drillcapacity-buildingcoral lifecouncil leadingcultivating
Adjective(8 words)
age appropriatebiological changebiological progressionchildlycivil improvement measurescultural development processculture-shaping experiencesdeveloping
Verb(1 words)
develop mathematical ability
Strong matches (25)
Verb(1 words)
developing skill
Adjective(11 words)
developmentally appropriateearly literacy skillsembryonic patterningevolutionaryevolutionary processevolutionary selectionevolutionary tracingformative assessment worksheetformative contentgrowinghigh-energy classroom
Noun(11 words)
dialecticeconomic upliftfine motor skillsformativeformative assessmentformative assessment systemfosteringgentrifyinggroup rotation plangrowth focused evaluationhuman development
Related words (42)
Adjective(16 words)
human development goalshuman developmentsindustrial evolutionindustrial growthmetabolousmulticellular developmentmulticellular organism developmentmulticellular organism developmentsmulticellular organism tissuesnoncognitiveontogeneticorganizational effectivenessphenological stagephysiological dataprogressivepsychological progression
Noun(26 words)
human development indicatorshuman development researchindustrial progress toolsindustrializinglearning attitudelearning progresslife cyclelife historylife stagelife-cyclemammal lifemiddle schoolsmulticellular organism life cycleneurodevelopmental disorderorganismal developmentorganismic modelpersonal growthphysical developmentsecond-language developmentsocial development goals
Show 6 more words
social development milestonessocial development needssocial life eventsteacher supporttrainingurbanizing process
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: actualizing, age appropriate, animal life history, biological change, biological progression.
- Sentence evidence is available for developmental, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "developmental".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "developmental"
Keep "developmental" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "developmental" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "developmental", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "developmental" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesdevelopmenteducational descriptor
More specific
6 entriescognitive developmentdevelopmental milestonedevelopmental stagelanguage developmentmotor developmentsocial development
Collocations
6 entriesdevelopmental delaydevelopmental milestonedevelopmental progressdevelopmental psychologydevelopmental screeningdevelopmental stage
Inflections
2 entriesmore developmentalmost developmental
Derivations
2 entriesSample sentences
9 total sentences available.
When things go downhill and light at the end of the tunnel isn't visible, then it is time to strategically develop developmental plans.
Source: tatoeba (5158824)
Children who have fewer friends or are bullied or isolated at school tend to have higher rates of anxiety, depression and some developmental delays.
Source: tatoeba (8855558)
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has successfully passed its critical design review, signaling that all design and developmental engineering work is now complete.
Source: tatoeba (10579512)
Showing 4 of 9 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "developmental"?
Closest matches include actualizing, age appropriate, animal life history, biological change, biological progression.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "developmental"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.