divergent

Different from each other or from an expected idea, belief, or result.

• They have divergent views on education.
• The witnesses gave sharply divergent accounts of the accident.
• Her conclusions were divergent from those of her colleagues.

How to use it: divergent from something (His interpretation was divergent from the official account.)

Similar words: differing, different, conflicting

Common phrases: divergent views, divergent interests, divergent from something

Moving or growing farther away from each other.

• The two paths are divergent.
• The branches grew in divergent directions.
• These species developed along divergent evolutionary paths.

Similar words: diverging, separating

Opposites: convergent

Common phrases: divergent paths, divergent lines, divergent directions

Not approaching a fixed value as more numbers or terms are added or considered.

• This series is divergent.
• A divergent sequence does not approach a fixed limit.
• The calculation produced a divergent integral.

Similar words: nonconvergent

Opposites: convergent

Common phrases: divergent series, divergent sequence, divergent integral

Making rays of light spread apart.

• A divergent lens spreads light rays apart.
• We placed a divergent lens in front of the lamp.
• The divergent optical system produced a wider beam.

Similar words: diverging

Opposites: convergent

Common phrases: divergent lens, divergent optical system