Divergent
Splitting parties, friends taking different routes home, and critics divided over a climax all illustrate this adjective: views bending apart.
Learn This WordMeaning
Moving apart in views.
Memory trick
DI-VERGENT: vertere bends, DI splits: two arrows bending apart.
Examples
Divergent paths split the party.
The two friends took divergent routes home and arrived with divergent stories.
Divergent reviews greeted the film: critics adored it, families walked out.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin divergere "to bend apart," from di- "apart" + vergere "to bend." Opinions bending away from each other.
Usage Notes
Splitting language: divergent views, divergent paths, divergent evolution. Pairs naturally with its twin convergent.
Real-life contexts
Use in discussion: "We hold divergent views on this."
Use in science: "The species took divergent paths."
Use in reviews: "Critics remain divergent on the climax."
Common Mistakes
Divergent means moving apart (process); diverse means varied (state). The paths diverged (verb); the views are divergent (adjective).
Master This Word
Add "divergent" to your vocabulary and practice with AI & smart flashcards!
Start LearningQuick Facts
Part of Speech
adjective
Difficulty
advancedMonthly Searches
~25,000
Related Words
Aberrant
Departing from the normal or expected course; deviating from what is typical.
Discrepancy
A difference or inconsistency between two things that should agree, such as figures, accounts, or reports.
Paradox
A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated may prove to be well-founded or true.