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

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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 President Donald Trump delivered a Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday that combined solemn tributes with pointed political remarks and self-congratulatory rhetoric, in a speech that diverged from the traditional tone of presidential remembrance. —Solcyré Burga, Time, 26 May 2025 Additionally, Black respondents diverged in views toward police along generational lines. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025 Privacy, security, and ethics are converging, not diverging. —Diana Spehar, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025 Additionally, responses diverged by geographic region. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 27 May 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
  • An example might be a SaaS company adding consulting or training services that enhance the core software experience without deviating too far from its expertise.
    — Will Fan, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • The spending proposal lawmakers approved, negotiated among the Democratic House and Senate leaders and the governor’s office, deviates from Pritzker’s original plan in certain areas, including funding for elementary and secondary education.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • While they are legally separated, their divorce has stalled due to Girardi's conservatorship and legal troubles.
    — Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 4 June 2025
  • Sea to land To separate the sea courses from the land courses, Bost serves a surprise palate cleanser, a dish of orgeat (almond flavored) ice cream topped with N25 Kaluga caviar, almond oil and shavings of aged celery root.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Definition of separate
Verb
  • Today, in a world still healing from a global pandemic and grappling with economic, political and climate uncertainty, the temptation to turn inward is strong.
    — Kendra MacDonald, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Sarah Snook, who won a Tony Award for Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray, is stumped about how it would ever be turned into a film.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 June 2025
Definition of turn
Verb
  • Model parallelism divides the neural network itself across hardware.
    — Jitender Jain, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Americans were also divided over what their separation means for the country, according to the survey, which has a margin of error of 2.1 percentage points.
    — Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
Definition of divide
Verb
  • Aina’s long blond hair was curled and parted to the side of her head.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 June 2025
  • Musk and President Donald Trump seemingly parted on a positive note, sharing kind words about each other during an Oval Office press conference on May 30.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of part
Verb
  • Others will spread into a shrub-like habit unless pruned.
    — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
  • Wen: Salmonella most often spreads to people through contaminated food.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
Definition of spread
Verb
  • Additionally, It was forced to fork over $250,000 last year in a race and color discrimination lawsuit settlement brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
    — Isabel van Brugen, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
  • Setup is simple thanks to the single main pole design (which forks at each end) with a cross pole in the middle.
    — Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 25 May 2025
Definition of fork
Verb
  • Also, market reaction to further tariff moves may cause Trump to retreat to the point that the effect of any tariff actions is fairly nominal.
    — Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
  • The soldiers fired warning shots and then opened fire when the suspects would not retreat, according to the IDF.
    — Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of retreat

Browse Nearby Words

dive (into)
diverge
diverged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diverge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverge. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of diverge for Spanish Speakers

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