Word
divergent
Phoneticsdi·ver·gent, stress on the second syllable
US/daɪˈvɝdʒənt/
UK/daɪvˈɜːdʒənt/
Definitions
01differing or moving apart
C1 · Advanced Academic
adj. becoming different or moving in different directions from a starting point.
adj. developing or moving in different directions; increasingly different in character or form.
“The two friends had divergent paths in life after they finished university.”
“The two political parties presented divergent visions for the country's economic future, leading to a stalemate in the negotiations.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'from'.
Teaching tip
This is a high-level academic word. Encourage students to use it when 'different' feels too simple for describing paths, opinions, or trends.
Antonyms
02mathematical series
C2 · Proficiency Mathematics Technical
adj. describes a list of numbers that does not get closer to a specific final value.
adj. describing a sequence or series that does not approach a finite limit as its terms increase.
“The teacher explained why a divergent series cannot be added up to a single number.”
“The student struggled to prove that the harmonic series is divergent despite the individual terms approaching zero.”
Usage
Used as a technical classification for sequences and series.
Teaching tip
This is strictly for students of advanced mathematics or physics.
Antonyms
03light rays
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
adj. describes light rays that spread out from a single point.
adj. causing rays of light to move away from each other.
“A concave lens creates a divergent beam of light.”
“The experiment required a divergent lens to spread the laser light across the entire surface of the sensor.”
Usage
Usually precedes the noun it modifies, such as 'lens' or 'beam'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“In 2014, Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz at Stanford University found that walking increased divergent thinking – the capacity to generate multiple solutions to open-ended problems – by roughly 60 per cent.” “Palestinian and Israeli authorities offered divergent accounts of the incident, which came as settler violence has surged across the Israeli-occupied territory.” Etymology
From Latin dis- (“apart”) + vergere (“to turn”) + the adjectival suffix -ent.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
The word in film
Divergent · 2014 · Action
- Directed by:
- Neil Burger
- Starring:
- Ashley Judd, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz
Shailene Woodley stars in this action film about a future society where people are divided into groups based on their personalities. The title describes a girl who does not fit into just one category because her mind develops in multiple directions at once.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/divergent