divine 1 of 3

Definition of divinenext
1
2
as in heavenly
of, relating to, or being God for these divine gifts let us be truly thankful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

divine

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noun

divine

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word divine different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of divine are anticipate, foreknow, and foresee. While all these words mean "to know beforehand," divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.

was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war

When could anticipate be used to replace divine?

Although the words anticipate and divine have much in common, anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.

the waiter anticipated our every need

When might foreknow be a better fit than divine?

The synonyms foreknow and divine are sometimes interchangeable, but foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.

if only we could foreknow our own destinies

When can foresee be used instead of divine?

While the synonyms foresee and divine are close in meaning, foresee implies nothing about how the knowledge is derived and may apply to ordinary reasoning and experience.

economists should have foreseen the recession

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 divine
Adjective
When it’s paired with a chocolatey porter, the combination is divine. Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026 The Zohar describes the commandments as channels through which divine energy flows into the world. Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
Many believe in erasing the boundaries between church and state, Whitehead added, which can range from thinking religion should play a larger role in government to believing a president is an agent of the divine. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025 The feminine Shakti There are certainly examples of the feminine divine to be drawn from Christian and other Abrahamic religious traditions. Anya Foxen, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025
Verb
Her job is to divine what our shopping habits tell us about our economy and our future. Alina Selyukh, NPR, 28 Nov. 2025 The Etruscan civilization 2,400 years ago in ancient Italy, experts say, believed the future could be divined using chickens, which were said to embody magical qualities. Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for divine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divine
Adjective
  • Playing a thinly disguised version of himself, Reynolds is, as Schneeberger and Neibaur point out, funny, exasperating, and moving, and Rifkin’s impeccable tailoring of the role to fit his star gives Reynolds a wonderful summation with which to end his career.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Welcome to the wonderful world of better coffee.
    Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Sold to Menemsha, genuinely tense and gorgeously shot, highlighting the heavenly mountains and a historical hell.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias sparked engagement rumors when she was spotted on the court wearing this heavenly, 11-carat pink diamond.
    Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • What to expect at the installation Mass The longer-than-normal Mass will have a large attendance with many religious figures such as bishops, priests, deacons and other guests.
    Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Hundreds of visitors have visited the chapel in recent days to take photos of the image, the parish priest Father Daniele Micheletti said.
    Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Indeed, so anticipated was Vonn’s race that the IOC rescheduled its daily media briefing with reporters to avoid conflicting with the women’s downhill.
    Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 8 Feb. 2026
  • While anticipated, the cutbacks were deeper than expected, resulting in the shutdown of the Post’s renowned sports section, the elimination of its photography staff and sharp reductions in personnel responsible for coverage of metropolitan Washington and overseas.
    David Bauder, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Six solid to excellent major leaguers, two average ones and 11 busts.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Use Dryer Balls to Keep Sheets Separated Dryer balls are an excellent tool for combating tangled sheets.
    Anyssa Roberts, The Spruce, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Observing an actual Parisian rejecting butter—one of France’s holy trinity of dairy products, along with cheese and crème fraîche—was a window into the new wellness culture seeping into what might have been the world’s last bastion of free-flowing wine and glutinous bread.
    Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam.
    Tony Peterson, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Jim Sawyer, a gentlemanly preacher and city council member whose public service had been winding towards a peaceful conclusion, was asked to replace him.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Scott said in a statement of his father playing multiple roles as a preacher, priest or pastor.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Some foresee this leading to a sort of explosion in the intelligence of AI systems, while others caution that such iteration might work to increase capabilities in some domains — like software engineering — while AI systems will continue to struggle on cognitive or physical abilities.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The plan also foresees coordination on investment, geological mapping and rapid responses to supply chain disruptions.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Divine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divine. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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