divergence

noun di·ver·gence \ -ˈvər-jən(t)s \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Examples: divergence in a Sentence

Definition of divergence

1 a : a drawing apart (as of lines extending from a common center)

b : difference, disagreement

c : the acquisition of dissimilar characters by related organisms in unlike environments

2 : a deviation from a course or standard

3 : the condition of being mathematically divergent

See divergence defined for kids

Examples of divergence in a Sentence

a growing divergence of opinion about that U.S. president's place in history
any divergence from the community's strict moral code was met with social ostracism

Recent Examples of divergence from the Web

The market performance reflects a growing divergence in global economies and their exposure to trade.

— shen hong, WSJ, "When China and U.S. Fight Over Trade, European Stocks Get Hurt," 26 June 2018
Perhaps his most famous New Yorker piece is his 2009 story looking at the wide divergence in Medicare expenditures (often tied to the quantity of care people were given) and how more spending did not lead to better quality.

— andrew joseph, STAT, "Five ideas that might steer Gawande as CEO of Amazon-backed health company," 20 June 2018
At one point, Illing brings up the Scandinavian studies that show that the more gender-egalitarian a country is, the greater the divergence in the kind of jobs pursued by men and women.

— andrew sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Is Making Us All Live in His Delusional Reality Show," 15 June 2018
To be sure, some of the divergence in Libor has to do with the recent tax-code overhaul that has encouraged companies to bring home overseas profits.

— matt wirz, WSJ, "Companies Look to Libor for Debt Savings as Rates Rise," 28 May 2018
Some have described a kind of divergence that's happening: Apple's services business is booming, while some developers' own businesses are floundering.

— lauren goode, WIRED, "Fed Up With Apple's Policies, App Developers Form a 'Union'," 18 May 2018
The poll shows a slight divergence from the narrative around the 2016 election, after which many pundits on the right and left wing of the Democratic Party attributed President Donald Trump’s ascension to economic anxiety.

— tara golshan, Vox, "In 2018, Democrats prioritize the economy and health care. Republicans are focused on national security and the economy.," 3 May 2018
The divergence in the way the two men have chosen to handle racial flare-ups was perhaps inevitable.

— New York Times, "Obama Soothed. Trump Stirs. How 2 Presidents Have Tackled Racial Flare-Ups.," 1 June 2018
There was no such divergence in mental health among heterosexual adults in these states.

— kevin lewis, BostonGlobe.com, "Judges vs. climate change," 1 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'divergence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.