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diverge

verb
di·​verge | \ də-ˈvərj How to pronounce diverge (audio) , dī-\
diverged; diverging

Definition of diverge

intransitive verb

1a : to move or extend in different directions from a common point : draw apart diverging roads
b : to become or be different in character or form The friends' lives diverged after graduation. : differ in opinion This is where our views diverge.
2 : to turn aside from a path or course : deviate diverge from a direct path
3 mathematics : to be divergent (see divergent sense 2)

transitive verb

: deflect diverge a compass needle
Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about diverge

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Choose the Right Synonym for diverge

swerve, veer, deviate, depart, digress, diverge mean to turn aside from a straight course. swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness. swerved to avoid hitting the dog veer implies a major change in direction. at that point the path veers to the right deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course. never deviated from her daily routine depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type. occasionally departs from his own guidelines digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse. a professor prone to digress 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

Examples of diverge in a Sentence

A prism causes rays of light to diverge. They were close friends in college, but after graduation, their lives diverged.

Recent Examples on the Web

 The lives of best friends diverge after high-school graduation and their encounter with a pathetic loner. — Los Angeles Times, "Here are the feature and TV films airing the week of Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019," 11 Aug. 2019 The numbers diverge when the question focuses on Article 9: an Asahi poll found 33% favourable to amending it and 59% against. — The Economist, "Can Shinzo Abe change Japan’s basic law?," 10 Aug. 2019 By the 1970s, patchouli's path diverged: There was an abundant cheap stuff, sure, but the plant had also started to appear in elevated, coveted concoctions—think YSL Opium or Clinique Aromatics Elixir. — April Long, Town & Country, "Jackie Kennedy's Unexpected Love of Patchouli," 28 July 2019 But there are nuances in the numbers, and analysts are diverging on whether there are bright spots underneath the top-line drop. — Katherine Dunn, Fortune, "What to Make of China’s Economic Slowdown: CEO Daily," 15 July 2019 As Pavarotti’s international career blossomed, his professional and personal lives inevitably diverged, though the singer tried to stay connected to his home in Modena by traveling with suitcases of his favorite foods. — Kenneth Turan, Detroit Free Press, "Ron Howard crafts an emotional tribute to Pavarotti," 27 June 2019 At certain points throughout class, Janney diverges from the traditional yoga script to place the focus on the roaming reindeer. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Alaska Now Offers Reindeer Yoga Classes," 26 June 2019 Carey’s script diverges from the collective to tell the stories of women who go to great lengths to end their pregnancy, including ingesting rat poison and punching themselves in the stomach. — Kimber Myers, latimes.com, "Review: ‘Ask for Jane’ depicts the horrors of abortion in a pre-Roe vs. Wade America," 26 June 2019 Their characters are united by a common cause, but their motives diverge. — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, "“The Kitchen,” Reviewed: An Engrossing Mob-Wife Drama That’s Relegated to a Table Read," 8 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diverge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of diverge

1665, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

History and Etymology for diverge

Medieval Latin divergere, from Latin dis- + vergere to incline — more at wrench

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More Definitions for diverge

diverge

verb
How to pronounce diverge (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of diverge

formal
: to split and move out in different directions from a single point
: to be or become different

See the full definition for diverge in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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