Divagation

Divagation refers to the act or instance of wandering from a main course or subject. It encompasses a deviation from a planned route, a departure from a central topic in conversation or writing, or a digression into unrelated areas. It often implies a lack of focus, rambling, or an aimless wandering of thoughts, words, or physical movement. The term suggests a shift away from the primary purpose, a tendency to stray, or a lack of discipline in thought or action. divagation can manifest in various forms, from minor tangents in discussions to lengthy detours in narratives. It often is used to express a lack of concentration, a meandering progression.

Divagation meaning with examples

• During the lecture, the professor's divagation into historical anecdotes, while interesting, unfortunately made it challenging to follow the core argument, leaving some students feeling lost and confused about the initial topic. This was a common occurrence during his talks.
• Her letter, initially intended to be a report, became bogged down in divagation, with personal reminiscences and observations that obfuscated the vital facts needed for making a proper assessment of the real events that had unfolded.
• The novel's meandering plot, filled with constant divagation into unrelated subplots and character backstories, frustrated some readers who found the core narrative elements difficult to hold on to, feeling the story would never come to completion.
• After the long hike, a sense of exhaustion led to divagation during the rest of the journey, and our planned route became a much longer trip, as we just meandered, with no real plan and a lot of off-path time