DIVAGATION Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

divagation

noun

Definition of divagation

as in tangent

a departure from the subject under consideration this may well appear to be a divagation at first, but I hope to establish the relevance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in deviation

a turning away from a course or standard a self-consciously "literary" novel that represents a major divagation from traditional narrative

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adherence

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for divagation

Noun

Its loose structure allows for a wealth of tangents, touching on everything from whether HBO shows have the right amount of nudity to the hosts’ personal lives.

— Daniel Strauss, Vanity Fair, 10 Aug. 2026
The realization inspired Shapiro’s team to go off on a tangent, mapping the flow of oxygen to coral tissues via cilia.

— Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of tangent

Noun

To be clear, the success of a good adaptation isn’t necessarily its faithfulness to the source material, but major deviations from the book are far from the only problems here.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Chocolate Chipless Cookies, for instance, was locked from the start, and any deviation from that title was not an option.

— Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of deviation

Noun

The 21-year-old midfielder has loan interest from EFL clubs, but his departure is contingent on potential incomings.

— Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
The luxury pods — complete with lie-flat beds and sliding privacy doors — could be entirely off-limits when departure day rolls around, sitting completely empty at 35,000 feet.

— Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of departure

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

diva

divagation

divagations

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Divagation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divagation. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of divagation

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

balmy

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes