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 However, adoption trajectories diverged by mid-2023, with urban areas reaching 18.2 percent adoption compared to 10.9 percent in rural areas. Ars Technica, 3 Mar. 2025 The leaders diverged significantly over the war’s causes, each side’s role in the conflict and its possible resolution. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025 This allowed his team to track what happened to the embryos, then check whether any of the PGT-A results diverged from reality. Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025 Shanghai, Shenzhen, and the STAR Board diverged to close -0.12%, +0.33%, and -1.52%, respectively, on volume that decreased -13% from Friday, which is 140% of the 1-year average. Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diverge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverge
Verb
  • The Justice Department also said that DOGE access doesn't deviate significantly from normal practices inside the agency, where employees are routinely allowed to search its databases.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Their decisions often deviated from strict legal precedent when faced with sympathetic defendants.
    Lars Daniel, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The couple wed in Boca Raton, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2006, and had two sons, Benjamin, born in 2009, and Lincoln, born in 2010, before separating in 2012.
    Emily Krauser, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Davis was already separated from Freddie’s mother at the time.
    Andy Swift, TVLine, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The pair was involved in a heated altercation that reportedly turned physical before paramedics arrived on the scene, according to TMZ.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Throughout the past decade, pitchers have turned their focus to training techniques that increase their average velocity and the over-all movement of the ball—even at the expense of throwing strikes.
    Lindsey Adler, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The new retrospective is divided into seven chapters that showcase different thematic or formal aspects of Abercrombie’s career, including the miniatures and still lifes that are often overlooked.
    Jeremy Lybarger, ARTnews.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Crockett made the comments while criticizing Democrats for becoming divided on the issue.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • That's when glorious God gave Moses the power to part the water by raising his arm.
    Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Jeffrey respected her wishes and the two parted for a summer.
    Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Georgetown graduate student detained for alleged ties to Hamas and alleged spreading of propaganda.
    Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The humidity will be as low as 20% in these parts of the state, creating ideal conditions for existing fires to spread. U.S. 1 in Florida shut down in both directions on Friday due to low visibility from the 344 wildfire in Miami-Dade County, according to the county's emergency management agency.
    Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Factors that could influence Modrić’s future Real Madrid are not expected to fork out and invest in a new midfield star this summer, with transfer talk primarily focusing on defenders like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen.
    Sam Leveridge, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
  • If Enos Stanley Kroenke wants to fork over $7 million a year for rehab, Landy’s more than earned it.
    Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The document laid out plans for the Polish army to retreat westward to the Vistula River, which runs through the center of Poland, in case of an invasion from the east by Russia.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • But Newsom appears to have fully retreated on trans-inclusive athletics, conceding to right-wing propagandists Charlie Kirk and Michael Savage without a fuss in the first two episodes of Newsom’s podcast earlier this month.
    Samantha Riedel, Them, 21 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Diverge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverge. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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