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

He suggests that the magazine’s poems have “represented the country’s wildly divergent visions of a good life—and railed against thwarted hopes for it.”

From The Wall Street Journal

But the parade of horribles recounted by Mr. Shapiro are at once comic and terrifying: deans harassing speakers, law students defaming anyone holding divergent views, faculty obsessed with idiotic academic theories.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the central banks’ increasingly divergent strategies are set to reshape the global economic outlook.

From Barron's

The current investment picture for Gen X looks the most divergent one among the demographic groups.

From MarketWatch

Apple’s divergent path has become somewhat controversial on Wall Street, with some investors worried the company has fallen behind on AI because of underinvestment.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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