divergent

American  

[dih-vur-juhnt, dahy-] / dɪˈvɜr dʒənt, daɪ- /

adjective

1. diverging; differing; deviating.

2. pertaining to or causing divergence.

3. (of a mathematical expression) having no finite limits.

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divergent British  

/ daɪˈvɜːdʒənt /

adjective

1. diverging or causing divergence

2. (of opinions, interests, etc) different

3. maths (of a series) having no limit; not convergent

4. botany (of plant organs) farther apart at their tops than at their bases

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Usage

The use of divergent to mean different as in they hold widely divergent views is considered by some people to be incorrect

Other Word Forms

• divergently adverb
• nondivergent adjective
• nondivergently adverb
• undivergent adjective
• undivergently adverb

Etymology

Origin of divergent

First recorded in 1690–1700, divergent is from the Medieval Latin word dīvergent- (stem of dīvergēns, present participle of dīvergere ). See diverge, -ent

Example Sentences

“The priority goals each side would need to secure for a credible ceasefire remain wildly divergent.”

From Barron's

"With the rise of wearables and long-term tracking in humans, I'm excited to see whether the same principles -- early predictors, staged aging, divergent trajectories -- hold true in people."

From Science Daily

Revered producer and saxophonist Josh Johnson, guitarist Jeff Parker, bassist Anna Butterss and drummer Deantoni Parks also bring their considerable chops to the mix, evoking divergent moods while maintaining a signature exuberance throughout.

From Los Angeles Times

But in terms of their overall quality, the two films couldn’t be more divergent.

From Salon

Economists are wrestling with two divergent scenarios for the global economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• atypical
• conflicting
• contradictory
• contrary
• different
• disparate
• dissimilar
• diverse
• various