divergence
Gradual growing apart
Divergence is the act or state of moving apart from a common point or from each other.
Roads diverge, opinions diverge, evolutionary lineages diverge.
The word captures both the process and its result: the divergence of their views became impossible to ignore.
In technical contexts, divergence has specific meanings in mathematics and physics relating to vector fields.
A divergence from expectations or norms is a deviation: Any divergence from protocol must be documented.
Division into two branches
- forkTined eating tool
- ramificationSecondary consequence of action
- offshootDerivative outgrowth
- splitSeparation into parts
separation · parting · tributary · delta · watershed · junction · crossroads · divide
Absence of shared opinion
- discordLack of agreement
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
conflict · opposition · division · split · factionalism · polarization · estrangement · parting of ways
Measurable difference between things
- discrepancyDifference between expected and actual
- dissimilarityState of being unlike
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- gapUnfilled space between
contrast · variance · disagreement · incompatibility · incongruity · mismatch · differential · separation
Act of going away
- strayingDeparting from course
- veeringChanging direction suddenly
- digressionVeering off topic
- detourAlternate path around obstruction
wandering · drift · deflection · swerve · diversion · tangent · going astray · side track
Formation of distinct species
- common ancestorOrigin point of descendants
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
Rate of change across space
- curlSpiral or loop form
- vector fieldFunction assigning directions to points
- fluxContinuous change or flow
- differentialRelative difference between things
calculus · operator · Gauss · continuity · source · sink · field theory
bifurcation
Division into two branches
- forkTined eating tool
- ramificationSecondary consequence of action
- offshootDerivative outgrowth
split · separation · parting · tributary · delta · watershed · junction · crossroads · divide
disagreement
Absence of shared opinion
rift · conflict · opposition · division · split · factionalism · polarization · estrangement · parting of ways · falling out
disparity
Measurable difference between things
- discrepancyDifference between expected and actual
- dissimilarityState of being unlike
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
gap · contrast · variance · disagreement · incompatibility · incongruity · mismatch · differential · separation · distance
departure
Act of going away
- strayingDeparting from course
- veeringChanging direction suddenly
- digressionVeering off topic
detour · wandering · drift · deflection · swerve · diversion · tangent · going astray · side track · deviance
speciation
Formation of distinct species
- common ancestorOrigin point of descendants
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
gradient
Rate of change across space
- curlSpiral or loop form
- vector fieldFunction assigning directions to points
- fluxContinuous change or flow
differential · calculus · operator · Gauss · continuity · source · sink · field theory
- incompatibilitiesmismatch, conflict, clash, friction, discord
- asymptoticsorder of magnitude, growth rate, decay rate, exponential growth, exponential decay
- adaptationnatural selection, evolution, mimicry, camouflage, hibernation
- evolutionevolution, natural selection, mutation, adaptation, speciation
- math conceptsangle, numbers, algebra, circle, equations
- meteorologyweather, rain, wind, snow, clouds
divergenceconvergence
Process of approaching sameness
meeting · confluence · merging · coming together · junction
divergenceagreement
Shared position between parties
accord · harmony · concord · consensus · concurrence
divergencesimilarity
State of being alike
sameness · likeness · correspondence · resemblance · equivalence
- divergent thinkingProducing varied ideas freely
- divergent timelineAlternate sequence of events