divergent

Definition of divergentnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word divergent different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of divergent are different, disparate, diverse, and various. While all these words mean "unlike in kind or character," divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.

went on to pursue divergent careers

When would different be a good substitute for divergent?

While the synonyms different and divergent are close in meaning, different may imply little more than separateness but it may also imply contrast or contrariness.

different foods

When might disparate be a better fit than divergent?

The meanings of disparate and divergent largely overlap; however, disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.

disparate notions of freedom

When is diverse a more appropriate choice than divergent?

The words diverse and divergent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.

such diverse interests as dancing and football

Where would various be a reasonable alternative to divergent?

The synonyms various and divergent are sometimes interchangeable, but various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.

tried various methods

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 divergent Despite these vastly divergent horizons, fly fishing and watchmaking emerge as parallel arts in Cerrato’s evocations. Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 23 May 2026 The kitchen-sink drama follows five working-class friends — Patrick, Shiv, Rian, Oli and Conor — who grew up together in a tower block in Birmingham and are now in their thirties, finding themselves on increasingly divergent, and for most of them increasingly constrained, paths to the future. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 The beautiful array of their divergent sizes and pelts coalesced as oils on canvas and rendered their exploits almost dreamlike. Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 These platforms rest on an assumption that proactive state policy can significantly improve living standards, not merely soften an inevitable downturn, and offer voters more optimistic — if sharply divergent — diagnoses and cures than the pervasive resignation captured in the article. Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for divergent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divergent
Adjective
  • Officials at the Air Resources Board then spent the last several months drafting and revising the plan voted on this week, which received considerable feedback from oil and gas companies, environmental groups, lobbyists and lawmakers all jockeying for different priorities.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • Each ticket costs $5, and players may pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers - five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (the gold Mega Ball) - or select Easy Pick/Quick Pick.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • Ginsberg first read the titular entry in Howl and Other Poems at San Francisco’s Six Gallery in 1955, and the work anthologized a year later by fellow poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti as the fourth entry in the City Lights Bookstore imprint with its distinctive slender binding and black-and-white cover.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • Similar to the Michelin Guide for restaurants, Forbes’ anonymous inspectors rate and reviews luxury hotels, helping travelers discover distinctive destinations around the world.
    Drew Jackson, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • One star is a pale orange and the other is a very distinct blue.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
  • Desmond has some distinct advantages.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
Adjective
  • Next week’s trip provides Xi yet another opportunity to present himself as a geopolitical power broker with direct lines to a diverse cast of counterparts.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 5 June 2026
  • Expect indoor and open-air shows from more than 50 local and regional acts in diverse genres, organizers said, from punk and hip hop to folk, metal and jazz.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 4 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Divergent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divergent. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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