diversify

American  

[dih-vur-suh-fahy, dahy-] / dɪˈvɜr səˌfaɪ, daɪ- /

verb (used with object)

diversified, diversifying

1. to make diverse, as in form or character; give variety or diversity to; variegate.

2. to invest in different types of (securities, industries, etc.).

3. to produce different types of (manufactured products, crops, etc.).

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verb (used without object)

diversified, diversifying

1. to invest in different types of industries, securities, etc.

2. to add different types of manufactured products, crops, etc., especially to a business.

diversify British  

/ daɪˈvɜːsɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. (tr) to create different forms of; variegate; vary

2. (of an enterprise) to vary (products, operations, etc) in order to spread risk, expand, etc

3. to distribute (investments) among several securities in order to spread risk

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Other Word Forms

• diversifiability
  noun
• diversifiable
  adjective
• diversifier
  noun
• overdiversify
  verb
• undiversifying
  noun

Etymology

Origin of diversify

1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French diversifier < Medieval Latin dīversificāre, equivalent to Latin dīvers ( us ) diverse + -ificāre -ify

Explanation

Diversify means to vary in type. It's often used to discuss risk in financial activities. You might diversify your investments by spreading your wealth among different types of stocks. You may have noticed that diversify looks like the word diverse, an adjective that describes showing variety and difference. If you want to diversify your interests, that means you want to mix it up and do more than just play Dungeons and Dragons all the time — you might become active in sports, theater, and the math club. Diversify can also describe expanding into new areas. A company might diversify by sending its sales force into Asia and Latin America.

Example Sentences

The breadth of partners is a way for Uber to diversify its bets, said Brian Mulberry, chief market strategist at Zacks Investment Management.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

EBay sought to diversify, buying PayPal in 2002 and the ticket resale site StubHub in 2007, but those moves failed to help the company keep pace in e-commerce.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

This period included major environmental changes such as the breakup of Pangaea, expansion of shallow marine habitats and the early Mesozoic Marine Revolution, all of which likely created new opportunities for species to diversify.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

"Over the long term, however, the potential could be more meaningful, especially if African countries are able to expand production, diversify exports, and move up the value chain," Schipke says.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

“Maybe diversify is the wrong word,” she said.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• expand
• transform