divagation

Definition of divagationnext
1
as in tangent
a departure from the subject under consideration this may well appear to be a divagation at first, but I hope to establish the relevance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in deviation
a turning away from a course or standard a self-consciously "literary" novel that represents a major divagation from traditional narrative

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for divagation
Noun
  • Its loose structure allows for a wealth of tangents, touching on everything from whether HBO shows have the right amount of nudity to the hosts’ personal lives.
    Daniel Strauss, Vanity Fair, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The realization inspired Shapiro’s team to go off on a tangent, mapping the flow of oxygen to coral tissues via cilia.
    Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Genetic deviations that impair the processing of alcohol turn out to be associated with lower rates of alcoholism.
    Shayla Love, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The price of call options betting on a one standard-deviation move – contracts with a roughly 16% chance of making money – are in the 70th percentile of the past year, according to Nations Indexes data.
    Oliver Renick, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Katseye’s departure from Daisy Chain Fields comes while the group, which debuted as a six-member group, remains down two singers.
    Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Compared, say, with the 1990s here, the suite of departures to points near and far is formidable.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Divagation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divagation. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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