convergent
Americanadjective
adjective
-
(of two or more lines, paths, etc) moving towards or meeting at some common point
-
(of forces, ideas, etc) tending towards the same result; merging
-
maths (of an infinite series) having a finite limit
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of convergent
First recorded in 1720–30, convergent is from the Late Latin word convergent- (stem of convergēns, present participle of convergere ). See converge, -ent
Explanation
If you're a Red Sox fan and your cousin loves the Yankees but you both agree baseball is a wonderful game, that's a convergent idea — in other words an idea that brings you together. Convergent applies to anything that is arrived at from different paths, not just an idea. Two trains, for example, arriving at the same station from different directions are said to be convergent; or two species of animals inhabiting the same environment that grow more and more alike in habit are also said to be convergent. The opposite of convergent is divergent — as in a Red Sox fan and a Yankees fan arguing about which is the better team.
Vocabulary lists containing convergent
"How Smart Are Animals?" by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
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Vincent and Theo
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And so Robinson and England were once again set on convergent paths, culminating in his comeback for the ages on day one of the first Test against New Zealand.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
It’s an example of convergent evolution, when completely unrelated species independently evolve comparable traits in response to similar environmental pressures.
From Slate ● Jan. 25, 2026
There’s still so much to figure out about how convergent evolution works, not just in crabs but in all organisms.
From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2024
“The U.S., Japan, and the Philippines are three closely aligned maritime democracies with increasingly convergent strategic objectives and interests,” Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, said on Tuesday.
From New York Times ● Apr. 11, 2024
They are—after all this time, from Zundert to now, through all their ups and downs, their divergent and convergent paths—bound together, brothers, friends.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
