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

2 of 3

noun

divine

3 of 3

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
The Bible’s message was seen as not only informative but salvific, and the monastic who memorized its words filled his or her soul with divine wisdom. Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 In Homer’s Odyssey, the Greek hero Odysseus must overcome tempests, temptations, mythical monsters, and divine wrath to sail home to the island of Ithaca after the Trojan War. Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 2026
Noun
Often at odds with orthodoxy, this branch of Islam looks at the relationship between the divine and the self through the lens of surrender, to the point where one’s own identity dissolves. Arman Khan, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026 In Muslim belief, whoever holds a fragment is holding something that connects the earthly world with the divine. Iqbal Akhtar, The Conversation, 25 May 2026
Verb
According to Esteve Umbert, one of the architects, Guadì also left geometric clues to help with construction, such as a hyperbolic paraboloid used to divine the shape of a church spire. Seth Doane, CBS News, 7 June 2026 Its Orbs are meant to divine the real from the fake. Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for divine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divine
Adjective
  • The resort provides a hiking guide—Nafea Abdeljalil was wonderful—and of course transport.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
  • Izzy, a vulnerable, dry-humored lesbian, played with a hummingbird intensity by the wonderful Molly Bernard, marvels that the experience is hard to describe to anyone who hasn’t been through it, like sharing a dream.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
Adjective
  • The plush cotton consistently feels heavenly underfoot after every shower.
    Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026
  • By the end of the movie, even something as natural as daylight has become suffused with a heavenly glow, and the beads of sweat on a dying body sparkle with a beauty that Emily had never been able to find anywhere else in her tragedy of a life.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • On July 2, the Vatican decreed the excommunication of the SSPX’s bishops and priests, one day after the group consecrated four new bishops in Switzerland without the pope’s consent.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • Part of the Theban Necropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Sheikh Abd El-Qurna cemetery is known for its concentration of tombs of priests and high-ranking officials from Egypt’s New Kingdom (1570–1069 BCE).
    Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • Thousands of apartments have gone on the market in the last couple of years, and there are more in the pipeline, though fewer projects are anticipated in the future.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • The country is investing in more hotels and attractions in capital city Ulaanbaatar, anticipating that number will go up in the years to come.
    Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Adjective
  • Rocket is known for its excellent customer service and easy-to-use website and mobile app.
    Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 13 July 2026
  • Bagworm is excellent and I am thrilled Oscilloscope will be bringing this cinematic fever dream to a theater near you.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 July 2026
Adjective
  • The Iraqi city is considered among the holiest for millions of Shiite Muslims around the world.
    Jamie Gray, NBC news, 9 July 2026
  • Khamenei's body arrived Tuesday in Najaf, considered one of the holiest of cities for millions of Shiite Muslims worldwide.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Noun
  • The dynamic duo of Jonda Valentine, an artist and daughter of a Pentecostal preacher, and her longtime friend Christa Suppan, who started as a bartender when Lipstick first opened, share co-ownership of the two bars.
    Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 July 2026
  • The street preacher asks if someone could be cited if a transgender person is offended if they are misgendered by another person.
    Emily Holshouser July 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The storms are foreseen to bring wind gusts of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail (1 inch).
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026
  • The accelerating rotation is fast enough, however, that timekeepers foresee the need for the first ever negative leap second—which could cause unknown and potentially catastrophic infrastructure problems.
    Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 8 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Divine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divine. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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