Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense diverges, present participle diverging, past tense, past participle diverged
1. verb
If one thing divergesfrom another similar thing, the first thing becomes different from the second or develops differently from it. You can also say that two things diverge.
His interests increasingly diverged from those of his colleagues. [VERB + from]
Scientists believe that man diverged from the apes between 5 and 7 million yearsago. [VERBfrom noun]
When the aims of the partners begin to diverge, there's trouble. [VERB]
Synonyms: separate, part, split, branch More Synonyms of diverge
2. verb [no cont]
If one opinion or idea divergesfrom another, they contradict each other or are different. You can also say that two opinions or ideas diverge.
The view of the Estonian government does not diverge that far from Lipmaa's thinking. [VERB + from]
Needless to say, theory and practice sometimes diverged. [VERB]
...the widely diverging ideologies of the two states. [VERB-ing]
3. verb
If one road, path, or route divergesfrom another, they lead in different directions after starting from the same place. You can also say that roads, paths, or routes diverge.
...a course that diverged from the Calvert Island coastline. [VERB + from]
Where three roads diverge take the middle branch. [VERB]
Synonyms: deviate, depart, stray, wander More Synonyms of diverge
More Synonyms of diverge
diverge in British English
(daɪˈvɜːdʒ)
verb
1.
to separate or cause to separate and go in different directions from a point
2. (intransitive)
to be at variance; differ
our opinions diverge
3. (intransitive)
to deviate from a prescribed course
4. (intransitive) mathematics
(of a series or sequence) to have no limit
Word origin
C17: from Medieval Latin dīvergere, from Latin di-2 + vergere to turn
diverge in American English
(daɪˈvɜrdʒ; also dɪˈvɜrdʒ)
verb intransitiveWord forms: diˈverged or diˈverging
1.
to go or move in different directions from a common point or from each other; branch off
paths that diverge
2.
to take on gradually a different form or become a different kind
diverging customs
3.
to depart from a given viewpoint, practice, etc.; differ
diverging opinions
verb transitive
4.
to make diverge
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈdeviˌate
Word origin
ML divergere (for LL devergere) < L dis-, apart + vergere, to turn: see verge2
Examples of 'diverge' in a sentence
diverge
They will increasingly diverge between now and the next election.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But these are nations that in reality have little in common and their economic and political fortunes increasingly will diverge.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
At this point the stories diverge.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
On one crucial issue, the two books diverge starkly.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But beyond that, their views diverge widely.
Goshgarian, Gary Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)
But if your interests diverge, you are likely to be hammered.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They work hand in hand, but so often their career paths diverge.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Although their paths diverge, their lives remain entwined.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But it can be less troublesome simply to nod one's head in agreement rather than diverge from orthodox opinion.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The two can diverge significantly.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
How did their paths diverge?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When the two goals diverge, there are agency costs that the principal may incur because of some action the agent takes.
Miller, Roger LeRoy & Fishe, Raymond P. H. Microeconomics: Price Theory in Practice (1995)
Yet now, on demographic statistics, they are going to diverge sharply.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
diverge
British English: diverge VERB
If one thing diverges from another similar thing, the first thing becomes different from the second or develops differently from it. You can also say that two things diverge.
His interests increasingly diverged from those of his colleagues.
American English: diverge
Brazilian Portuguese: divergir
Chinese: 有分歧
European Spanish: divergir
French: diverger
German: abweichen
Italian: divergere
Japanese: 分化する
Korean: 갈리다
European Portuguese: divergir
Latin American Spanish: divergir
1 (verb)
Definition
to separate and go in different directions
The aims of the partners began to diverge.
Synonyms
separate
We separated to inspect different areas of the place.
part
The clouds parted and a shaft of sunlight broke through.
She parted the bushes with her stick.
split
that place where the road split in two
branch
divide
the artificial line that divided the city
fork
Beyond the village the road forked.
divaricate
2 (verb)
Definition
to be at variance
Theory and practice sometimes diverged.
Synonyms
conflict
He held firm opinions which sometimes conflicted with my own.
differ
His story differed from his mother's in several respects.
disagree
The two versions disagree in several respects.
dissent
Just one of the 10 members dissented.
be at odds
be at variance
3 (verb)
Definition
to deviate (from a prescribed course)
a course that diverged from the coastline
Synonyms
deviate
He didn't deviate from his schedule.
depart
It takes a brave cook to depart radically from the traditional menu.
stray
She could not keep her eyes from straying towards him.
wander
He wandered aimlessly around the garden.
meander
We meandered along the Irish country roads.
turn aside
4 (verb)
The manuscripts diverged from the original.
Synonyms
digress
She digressed from the matter under discussion.
stray
Anyway, as usual, we seem to have strayed from the point.
deviate
digress
She digressed from the matter under discussion.
ramble
Sometimes she tended to ramble.
get sidetracked
go off at a tangent
get off the point
Additional synonyms
in the sense of depart
Definition
to differ or deviate
It takes a brave cook to depart radically from the traditional menu.
Synonyms
deviate,
vary,
differ,
stray,
veer,
swerve,
diverge,
digress,
turn aside
in the sense of differ
His story differed from his mother's in several respects.