What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
divagate
Example
The professor tends to divagate in his lectures, making it hard to follow his main points. [divagate: verb]
Example
The book's author often divagates into tangential topics, making the narrative hard to follow. [divagating: gerund or present participle]
deviate
Example
The company's decision to deviate from its usual marketing strategy was met with mixed results. [deviate: verb]
Example
The plane had to deviate from its flight path due to bad weather conditions. [deviated: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Deviate is more commonly used than divagate in everyday language. Deviate is a more versatile word that can be used in a wide range of contexts, while divagate is less common and more specific to literary or academic contexts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between divagate and deviate?
Both divagate and deviate are formal words, but divagate may be considered more formal due to its less common usage and association with academic or literary contexts.
