divergent

adjective

di·ver·gent | \ də-ˈvər-jənt

, dī- \

Definition of divergent

1a : moving or extending in different directions from a common point : diverging from each other divergent paths — see also divergent evolution

b : differing from each other or from a standard the divergent interests of capital and labor

2 mathematics : relating to or being an infinite (see infinite entry 1 sense 4c) sequence that does not have a limit or an infinite series whose partial sums do not have a limit

3 physics : causing rays (see ray entry 2 sense 1b) to draw apart from a common center : causing divergence of rays a divergent lens

Other Words from divergent Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing divergent Learn More About divergent

Choose the Right Synonym for divergent

different, diverse, divergent, disparate, various mean unlike in kind or character. different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness. different foods diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast. such diverse interests as dancing and football divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation. went on to pursue divergent careers disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility. disparate notions of freedom various stresses the number of sorts or kinds. tried various methods

Examples of divergent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Those divergent economic backdrops may cause governments and central banks to choose different, or even conflicting, policies as countries try to slow inflation without tipping into recession. — New York Times, 29 Apr. 2022 In this case, engineers and designers on the Intercom team added several different sounds to the company’s offerings, finding a sound that was far more acceptable for people with divergent sensory experiences. — Nicole Gull Mcelroy, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2022 Russia and Ukraine provided divergent explanations for the fate of the Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet. — Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2022 The key to mixing all these divergent design aesthetics is to remain in the same grayscale color scheme. — Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 13 Apr. 2022 With just over two weeks to go until Election Day, President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden hit the campaign trail this weekend with divergent messages about the state of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. — NBC News, 19 Oct. 2020 Never have the cases for and against the effort been so divergent. — New York Times, 13 Mar. 2022 Fixing the nation’s immigration system has long been a goal of many, though strategies to do that are widely divergent and often break down into creating a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants versus border enforcement. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2022 The results were divergent from one another and included a Jan. 1 loss to Tulane in which UC trailed by 26 points in the first half, a rebound win against SMU on Thursday and then Sunday's loss. — Pat Brennan, The Enquirer, 9 Jan. 2022 See More

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