diverge

verb

də-ˈvərj How to pronounce diverge (audio)
Definition of divergenext
1
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction the deer abruptly diverged from its intended path the moment it spied the waiting lynx

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to separate
to go or move in different directions from a central point at that point the road and the railroad tracks diverge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb diverge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of diverge are depart, deviate, digress, swerve, and veer. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.

after school their paths diverged

When is depart a more appropriate choice than diverge?

The words depart and diverge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

In what contexts can deviate take the place of diverge?

Although the words deviate and diverge have much in common, deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

When can digress be used instead of diverge?

In some situations, the words digress and diverge are roughly equivalent. However, digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

Where would swerve be a reasonable alternative to diverge?

The words swerve and diverge can be used in similar contexts, but swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

When could veer be used to replace diverge?

The synonyms veer and diverge are sometimes interchangeable, but veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of diverge Past coordination between the two parties — which diverge on many issues — has been criticized as only succeeding in maintaining the status quo. —Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 24 Feb. 2025 Chloe and Chelsea immediately diverge in their analysis, as the violence prompts Rick and Mook (Lisa Manobal) to cherish Chelsea and Gaitok, respectively. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 23 Feb. 2025 This just seems like two distinctly diverging paths to me. —Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025 But such a scenario diverges sharply from the victory plan that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined in the fall of 2024. —Nataliya Gumenyuk, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diverge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverge
  1. deviate
  2. separate
  3. turn
  4. divide
  5. part
  6. spread
  7. fork
  8. retreat
Verb
  • To cover its tracks, the social media company allegedly deviated from usual practices and attempted to conceal the torrenting by using Amazon Web Services.
    — Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Between the lines: The company hasn't deviated from its pledge to go net-zero by 2050, Coben says.
    — Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • The couple eventually separated and then divorced in 1990.
    — Alex Gurley, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
  • For the flight test, Eisele maneuvered Apollo 7 into position with a docking target painted on the side of the Saturn rocket’s upper stage (the capsule had separated from the upper stage the day before and let some distance grow between the two vehicles before trying the maneuver).
    — Kiona N. Smith, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of separate
Verb
  • Barbie’s birthday on March 9, when the iconic doll will turn 66.
    — Stacia Datskovska, WWD, 6 Mar. 2025
  • And Culture-Sharing Profit-sharing turns a company’s success into a shared achievement, aligning talent interest with an organization's long-term goals.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of turn
Verb
  • For decades afterward and until the advent of internet telephony, Druze families divided by the armistice lines who wanted to communicate with one another did so via megaphone in an area that came to be known as Shouting Hill.
    — Uriel Heilman, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Primary care has long been associated with the image of a busy doctor, divided between patients and the administrative grind.
    — Stephen Wunker, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of divide
Verb
  • Even on past rainy days, locals say, the skies seem to part for the parade itself, and resume after the festivities.
    — Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Her hair was parted to one side in loose waves, displaying her silver teardrop earrings.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of part
Verb
  • That evening outside Eaton Canyon, the fire spread without halting.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The ripple effects of the tense relations with the US have spread through Canadian society, with fans at NHL and NBA games in Canada even booing the US national anthem.
    — Hira Humayun, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of spread
Verb
  • The Democratic chief executive recounted telling Trump that the Manhattan toll project was good for his hometown, even if Garden State drivers might not like forking out $9 to drive downtown.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
  • But this doesn’t mean that users are going to suddenly have to start forking out to access their favorite subreddits.
    — Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 16 Feb. 2025
Definition of fork
Verb
  • Crypto stocks — Stocks linked to the price of bitcoin fell after the cryptocurrency retreated around 3% to hover around the $80,000 level.
    — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025
  • From rollbacks on reproductive rights in the U.S. to the dismantling of environmental protections and the amplification of xenophobia, governments are retreating from their responsibilities to protect vulnerable communities and future generations.
    — Paul Klein, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of retreat

Browse Nearby Words

diverge
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diverge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverge. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on diverge

Nglish: Translation of diverge for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
number-twelve-balloon
12-Letter Words Quiz A dozen words, a dozen letters each.
See All