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# divergence

noun (divergence, divergences); verb diverge; adjective divergent

«divergence» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Divergence is when two or more things go further apart, like paths that split and go different ways. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#m1)
2. A divergence of opinion is when people disagree or think differently. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#m2)
3. (maths, science) Divergence is a growing difference between numbers, lines or results. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#m3)

### In the lessons

A formal word: used in science, maths and debates. In stories, the divergence of two roads or two friends' lives is a turning point. Phrases: divergence of opinion, point of divergence, divergence between.

### Examples

- At the divergence of the two paths we chose the left one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#x1)
- There was a divergence of opinion about where to go on holiday. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#x2)
- The two lines on the graph show a growing divergence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#x3)
- The divergence between the twins' handwriting grew each year. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#x4)
- Scientists study the divergence of species from a common ancestor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#x5)
- The map shows the river's divergence into two streams. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/#x6)

### Note

Opposite: convergence (coming together). Formal; simpler words are difference, split, disagreement. In a maths problem, divergence means the gap between values gets bigger — find it by subtracting.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «divergence» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/divergence/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«divergence» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/divergence.html) on Mova free.