divert

American  

[dih-vurt, dahy-] / dɪˈvɜrt, daɪ- /

verb (used with object)

1. to turn aside or from a path or course; deflect.

2. British. to route (traffic) on a detour.

3. to draw off to a different course, purpose, etc.

4. to distract from serious occupation; entertain or amuse.

   Synonyms:

   delight

   Antonyms:

   bore

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verb (used without object)

1. to turn aside; veer.

   It is sad to see so much talent divert to trivial occupations.

divert British  

/ daɪˈvɜːt /

verb

1. to turn (a person or thing) aside from a course; deflect

2. (tr) to entertain; amuse

3. (tr) to distract the attention of

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Related Words

See amuse.

Other Word Forms

• divertedly adverb
• diverter noun
• divertible adjective
• diverting adjective
• divertingly adverb
• divertive adjective
• predivert verb (used with object)
• redivert verb (used with object)
• undiverted adjective
• undivertible adjective

Etymology

Origin of divert

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin dīvertere, from dī- di- ² + vertere “to turn”

Example Sentences

WSJ readers tell us how they think we will divert ourselves 20 years from now.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

To mitigate risks, the U.A.E. has outlined specific flight corridors for pilots and primed air-traffic controllers to rapidly divert aircraft.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

The DOJ alleged that the trio devised a plan with an unnamed South East Asia-based firm to divert US-made chips to brokers in China who were in close contact with Liaw and Chang.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Middle Eastern fossil-fuel producers are likely to build pipelines to divert products to the Red Sea from the Gulf.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

It was not long before some opponents of female suffrage deliberately used Victoria Woodhull’s other prominent positions to divert public attention from the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• alter
• deflect
• redirect
• switch