1
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction the deer abruptly diverged from its intended path the moment it spied the waiting lynx

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to separate
to go or move in different directions from a central point at that point the road and the railroad tracks diverge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb diverge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of diverge are depart, deviate, digress, swerve, and veer. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.

after school their paths diverged

When is depart a more appropriate choice than diverge?

The words depart and diverge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

In what contexts can deviate take the place of diverge?

Although the words deviate and diverge have much in common, deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

When can digress be used instead of diverge?

In some situations, the words digress and diverge are roughly equivalent. However, digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

Where would swerve be a reasonable alternative to diverge?

The words swerve and diverge can be used in similar contexts, but swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

When could veer be used to replace diverge?

The synonyms veer and diverge are sometimes interchangeable, but veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of diverge But when reached for their thoughts, filmmakers and rank-and-file workers diverged in their views on the idea. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2025 China and the United States will likely grow further apart as their ecologies of technology diverge further over time. Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 Their career paths have diverged and collided at various points over the decades. Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 1 May 2025 The stats shared for other countries sometimes diverged dramatically from that pattern. Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for diverge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverge
Verb
  • In space, satellites deviated from their trajectories due to the changes in air density caused by the sudden heating triggered by the energetic processes.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 9 May 2025
  • Industry stakeholders argue that the USCIS’s current two-year requirement deviates from both the law and investor expectations, potentially jeopardizing long-term projects.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Cosmos 482 separated into four pieces, two of which remained in Earth's low orbit and decayed within 48 hours, and the other two pieces went into a higher orbit.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 11 May 2025
  • Let the chicken cool completely before storing it in the fridge, and separate the meat from the bones for easier reheating.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • Trump faced charges related to keeping hundreds of classified documents and refusing to turn them over to the FBI while Biden was under investigation for retaining classified documents.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 May 2025
  • If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • On our trip to Greenville, Victor stopped at a road that divides two burial grounds in town.
    Erika Hayasaki, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025
  • What's Next Breastfeeding often divides public opinion, and will likely spark similar debates online in the future.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • One of her sons, 11-year-old Yusuf, his head heavily bandaged, screamed in grief as the shroud of his younger sibling was parted to show his face.
    MOHAMMAD JAHJOUH, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
  • His parting gift might be to broaden some of its horizons, too, and that legacy would extend well beyond his departure.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Biden's cancer is characterized as having a Gleason score of 9, grade group 5, which would mean the cells look very different from healthy cells and are likely to grow and spread more quickly.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 20 May 2025
  • The Bidens announced Sunday the 46th president was battling an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • All the way back in the NES days, Nintendo was the sole producer of game cartridges for the console, which meant developers had to play ball and fork over whatever costs were associated.
    Jason Evangelho, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • When growing carrots in the garden bed, quality is variable with carrots often coming up twisted or forked. Herbs.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • After the trial ended, in which Heard was originally ordered to pay Depp $15 million, the actress largely retreated from the public eye, moving away from her home in California to Spain with her daughter, Oonagh, in search of privacy.
    Jessica Sager, People.com, 12 May 2025
  • The Continental Army retreated from Montreal and its environs in June 1776, after British reinforcements from the north began recapturing the province.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Diverge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverge. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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