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

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

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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

Trump, who governs largely by impulse and instinct, lacks a clear traditional governing ideology on a range of topics, heightening divergent viewpoints. — chicagotribune.com, "Confusion, squabbling undermine Trump's steps forward on the world stage," 20 May 2018 Rand’s move to join forces with a property manager is somewhat divergent from the other two major platforms. — Jeff Andrews, Curbed, "The single-family rental industry is starting to consolidate," 11 Dec. 2018 Those offices filed separate and at times conflicting sentencing memorandums on Friday, suggesting divergent views of how forthcoming Mr. Cohen has been with law enforcement. — Rebecca Ballhaus, WSJ, "Cohen Gave Significant Help on Russia Probe, Mueller Team Says," 7 Dec. 2018 Despite using the same internal technology, the Aeon Flow Open and Closed models have fundamentally divergent characters. — Vlad Savov, The Verge, "MrSpeakers Aeon Flow headphones review: songs of ice and fire," 30 July 2018 Here, two Vogue editors discuss their wildly divergent habits. — Nicole Phelps, Vogue, "Refund Policy: One Vogue Writer Is a Compulsive Returner, the Other Keeps Absolutely Everything," 18 July 2018 Two slayings by the same person with divergent reasons would be two murder charges. — Brian Rogers, Houston Chronicle, "Houston father accused in honor killings begins death penalty trial," 24 June 2018 Generation Gap Americans in their 20s and 30s are lagging behind their parents in earnings at similar ages and are living longer, divergent dynamics that threaten retirement security. — Anne Tergesen, WSJ, "How Millennials Can Maximize Savings for Retirement," 15 Nov. 2018 The same disaster can devastate businesses in divergent ways — a hurricane might tear the roof off one restaurant, flood another and leave a third with little damage. — Fox News, "Post-disaster, business owners find varied paths to recovery," 29 Aug. 2018

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.