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 The moralizing that Baitz funnels through Trip about learning to live with divergent truths seems less apt in an age of alternative facts. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Ethiopia, the world’s largest landlocked country, has been torn apart over the past decade by the divergent goals of ethnic political groups seeking to keep the country decentralized, and the centralizing crusade of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 Sep. 2026 The stocks’ divergent movement came after news Monday morning of a settlement between Paramount and 12 state attorneys general. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026 As much as anything, this latest Manchester derby, which took place amid protests by United fans outside and inside the ground, was an occasion to reflect on the divergent impacts of both clubs’ owners. — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for divergent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divergent
Adjective
  • The two questions the high court will examine include how the Employment Division‘s rule on a law’s neutrality should be applied and if the 10th Circuit should have used a different precedent as its guide, rather than the Employment Division.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The aircraft have different sizes and operating capabilities, but investigators have not indicated whether those differences contributed to the collision.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Altadena had a distinctive and cherished identity before the fire.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The tiny Norwegian archipelago, 68 degrees north of the Arctic Circle and two flights from Oslo, is a distinctive and dramatic landscape with spiky mountains rising from the Norwegian Sea and sandy beaches fringed by fjords.
    — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Ideas can be measured through semantic distance, which is a way of quantifying how distinct individual concepts are.
    — Roger Beaty, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Netflix logged 21 positions spread over 18 series, the broadest range of distinct titles of the platforms the report examined.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The growing experience of assemblies proves that people of widely disparate ideologies and diverse demographic backgrounds can come together and deliberate on issues of public policy.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The International Energy Agency (IEA) notes that sodium-ion battery production remains heavily concentrated in China, despite the potential for more geographically diverse raw-material supplies.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Divergent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divergent. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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