Divergent
Divergent means tending to differ; moving apart or developing in different directions. It can describe opinions, paths, or outcomes that are not in agreement or not converging.
adjectiveDivergent
Divergent means tending to differ; moving apart or developing in different directions. It can describe opinions, paths, or outcomes that are not in agreement or not converging.
adjectiveImagine This
Two rescue divers urgently dived into the pool to save someone reported drowning. They couldn't find the person, so they separated and went in different directions to cover more area in less time.
Sounds Like
dih-VUR-juhnt
Looks Like
diverge (verb) root
Remember This
Divergent shares a root with diverge and divergence; from Latin divergere 'to turn aside'. In math, divergence is a separate concept about how a vector field spreads out from a point.
Other Forms
Connect With
Divide, divert, diverge, divorce (related to separation); note the contrast with converge, which means to come together.
Note
Divergent is not the same as 'diverse' (varied by kind); use 'divergent' for moving apart or differing; the noun form is 'divergence' and the verb is 'diverge'. Be careful not to confuse with 'diversion' (a distraction).