divergence

noun

di·​ver·​gence də-ˈvər-jən(t)s How to pronounce divergence (audio)
dī-
Synonyms of divergencenext
1
a
: a drawing apart (as of lines extending from a common center)
b
: difference, disagreement
c
evolutionary biology : the development of dissimilar traits or features (as of body structure or behavior) in closely related populations, species, or lineages of common ancestry that typically occupy dissimilar environments or ecological niches : divergent evolution
2
: a deviation from a course or standard
3
: the condition of being mathematically divergent

Synonyms of divergence

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of divergence in a Sentence

a growing divergence of opinion about that U.S. president's place in history any divergence from the community's strict moral code was met with social ostracism
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This contrast helps explain the divergence between each man’s politics. — Jim Rasenberger, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026 But their research efforts are beginning to show some important divergence in the details. — IEEE Spectrum, 25 June 2026 This regional divergence is one of the defining features of the modern energy system. — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 The divergence is over whether the worker shortage is improving slowly or still getting worse, and what the Supreme Court should do about it. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for divergence

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin dīvergentia, noun derivative of Latin dīvergent-, dīvergens divergent

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of divergence was in 1656

Rhymes for divergence

See All Rhymes for divergence

Browse Nearby Words

divergement
divergence
divergency
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Divergence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divergence. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

divergence

noun
di·​ver·​gence də-ˈvər-jən(t)s How to pronounce divergence (audio)
dī-
: the state of diverging : a drawing apart (as of lines extending from a common center)

Medical Definition

divergence

noun
di·​ver·​gence də-ˈvər-jən(t)s, dī- How to pronounce divergence (audio)
1
a
: a drawing apart
b
: the acquisition of dissimilar characters by related organisms under the influence of unlike environments
2
: dissemination of the effect of activity of a single nerve cell through multiple synaptic connections compare convergence sense 4
diverge
-ˈvərj How to pronounce divergence (audio)
verb
diverged; diverging
divergent
-ˈvər-jənt How to pronounce divergence (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on divergence

Nglish: Translation of divergence for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about divergence

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All