divergent
Americanadjective
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diverging; differing; deviating.
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pertaining to or causing divergence.
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(of a mathematical expression) having no finite limits.
adjective
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diverging or causing divergence
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(of opinions, interests, etc) different
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maths (of a series) having no limit; not convergent
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botany (of plant organs) farther apart at their tops than at their bases
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
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
Explanation
Something divergent is moving away from what is expected. Two divergent paths are moving in opposite directions — away from each other. Things that are divergent are diverging — moving away from a path or a standard. A teacher who comes to work in a clown outfit is being divergent; a clown who comes to work in a business suit is also being divergent. A stream is divergent if it is moving in the opposite direction of a river. A politician who is divergent might leave his political party. Divergent people and things are changing course — moving off the beaten path.
Vocabulary lists containing divergent
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Divergent
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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.
It’s been another choppy week in markets, featuring a rebound in the artificial-intelligence trade, highly divergent share-price reactions to big tech earnings, and more volatility in oil as the U.S.-Iran war flares up again.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
"But Kogia Helicobacter 3 belongs to a more divergent lineage, which emphasizes the possibility that there are far more undiscovered bacteria in the ocean than we realize."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
There has been increased talk of divergent financial conditions among lower- and higher-income Americans, known as a K-shaped economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The divergent strategies of the three cars became apparent as soon as Hamilton pitted on lap 11 to change his soft tyres.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
If the river continued through the throat at less than sonic speed—that is to say, less than the speed of sound—it became compacted in the divergent section, bound in turmoil, and inefficient.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
