divergence
noun
di·ver·gence
də-ˈvər-jən(t)s 
dī-
1
a
: a drawing apart (as of lines extending from a common center)
b
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
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
For disciplined investors, this divergence creates both risk and opportunity.
—
Matt Witheiler, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Price is above a rising 50-day and 200-day, and momentum is confirming with RSI around 60 and no divergence.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
This points to a divergence in how countries manage AI.
—Maha Hosain Aziz, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
That physical distance, combined with the genomic and vocal divergence confirmed by researchers, supported the formal classification of the Tokara population as a separate species.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for divergence
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Matt Witheiler, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Price is above a rising 50-day and 200-day, and momentum is confirming with RSI around 60 and no divergence.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
This points to a divergence in how countries manage AI.
—Maha Hosain Aziz, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
That physical distance, combined with the genomic and vocal divergence confirmed by researchers, supported the formal classification of the Tokara population as a separate species.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for divergence
Cite this Entry
“Divergence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divergence. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
divergence
noun
di·ver·gence
də-ˈvər-jən(t)s
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-
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
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