Definition of DIVERSE (original) (raw)
1
: differing from one another : unlike
people with diverse interests
2
: composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for diverse
diverse implies both distinctness and marked contrast.
such diverse interests as dancing and football
divergent implies movement away from each other and unlikelihood of ultimate meeting or reconciliation.
went on to pursue divergent careers
disparate emphasizes incongruity or incompatibility.
disparate notions of freedom
various stresses the number of sorts or kinds.
Examples of diverse in a Sentence
We can adapt to new problems in ways that other species cannot. It is this ability that enabled our ancestors to spread over the globe, displacing other hominids and many other species along the way. Our cultures and individual behaviors are so successfully diverse that humans are more like an entire ecosystem than a single species. —
Barbara Oakley, Evil Genes, (2007) 2008 Since the methods and policies of the Spaniards on the edges of empire varied over time and place, and the indigenous tribes and peoples with whom they came into contact were almost endlessly diverse, Weber was faced with the daunting challenge of writing a book that was at the same time comprehensive and comprehensible. —J. H. Elliott, New York Review of Books, 23 Feb. 2006 The place is packed at both lunch and dinner. The crowd, always a diverse blend of athletes and fans, cops and criminals, showbiz and fashion, appears as heterogeneous as ever. —Eric Asimov, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2003 Many students, from campuses diverse as Bushwick High School in Brooklyn, New York, and Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, had classmates sign cards pledging to vote for "books, not bombs." —Liza Featherstone, Nation, 4/11 Aug. 2003
His message appealed to a diverse audience. a diverse group of subjects
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Plus, Canada’s population is _diverse_—in part because during Trump’s first term, Trudeau positioned Canada as a safer alternative for immigrants. —Talib Visram, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025 Many in Ballinger’s hospital — which serves a high immigrant population in one of the most diverse regions in the U.S. — have worried about threats of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025 For the Gladney family, the Chaska community has always been a close-knot, quiet, safe and diverse community, with grocery stores, libraries and a hospital all near by. —Graham P. Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 Black Representation is Resplendent Produced mostly by Debbie Allen (Fame, Grey’s Anatomy, Amistad), A Different World showcases a diverse spectrum of Black young adults (and other ethnicities too). —Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 6 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for diverse 
Word History
Etymology
Middle English divers, diverse "differing, distinct, of various kinds, several," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French divers, diverse, deverce, borrowed from Latin dīversus "turned in different directions, situated apart, differing," from past participle of dīvertere "to separate oneself (from), be different, diverge" — more at divert
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of diverse was in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near diverse
Cite this Entry
“Diverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diverse. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 10 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
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