Price makes a higher high while an oscillator makes a lower high. The geometry is clear; the conclusion is not. Divergence describes a difference in rate or impulse. It does not specify when price must reverse, how far it might move, or whether a trend has ended.
Locate it in the trend
Repeated divergence late in an extended move near established resistance deserves different attention from the first momentum pause after a breakout. Ask how long the trend has persisted, whether pullbacks are changing character, and whether price has lost a meaningful swing.
A momentum oscillator is derived from price. Treating it as independent proof counts the same evidence twice.
Separate warning from trigger
A divergence may justify closer observation or reduced confidence in continuation. Confirmation requires price behaviour appropriate to the timeframe: failure to hold a breakout, acceptance below a swing, or expanding counter-trend participation. The exact condition should be written before it occurs.
Replay without hindsight
Hide future candles after marking a divergence. Write three lines: what has weakened, what remains intact, and what would change your view. Reveal one bar at a time. This exercise shows how often an early warning persists for much longer than expected—and why warning is a better word than signal.