What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
divagate
Example
The speaker divagated from the topic and lost the audience's attention. [divagated: past tense]
Example
Her writing style is known for its tendency to divagate and explore various tangents. [divagate: verb]
digress
Example
I don't mean to digress, but have you heard about the new restaurant opening up? [digress: verb]
Example
The professor often digresses during lectures, but always manages to tie it back to the main topic. [digresses: present tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Digress is more commonly used than divagate in everyday language. Digress is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while divagate is less common and may be considered more formal or literary.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between divagate and digress?
Divagate may be considered more formal or literary than digress, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts as a verb or noun.
