diversion
Americannoun
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the act of diverting or turning aside, as from a course or purpose.
a diversion of industry into the war effort.
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a channel made to divert the flow of water from one course to another or to direct the flow of water draining from a piece of ground.
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British. a detour on a highway or road.
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distraction from business, care, etc.; recreation; amusement; a pastime.
Movies are his favorite diversion.
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Military. a feint intended to draw off attention from the point of main attack.
noun
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the act of diverting from a specified course
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an official detour used by traffic when a main route is closed
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something that distracts from business, etc; amusement
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military a feint attack designed to draw an enemy away from the main attack
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of diversion
1590–1600; < Medieval Latin dīversiōn- (stem of dīversiō ), equivalent to Latin dīvers ( us ) diverse + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A diversion can be something that takes you off the course you are on, like a detour while you are traveling, or a game of tennis that takes you away from the stress of work. The noun diversion and the verb divert are related. Both have to do with a change of focus or direction. When you want a break from something, many diversions are welcome, like a rousing game of “twenty questions” on a long car ride. Conversely, some diversions are unwelcome, like when the guy next to you is texting during your French midterm.
Vocabulary lists containing diversion
Unit 1: Telling Details
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The objective of the diversion is to verify the validity of its flag," he added.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
The judge described the diversion of public funds as a gross abuse of public trust and said proxy companies and associates were used to siphon money from the projects.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
And pretrial and posttrial diversion programs — where someone undergoes treatment in lieu of incarceration — would also need the cooperation of the court system, which the mayor does not control.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
That diversion is further proof that decoupling is real: Beijing is rerouting goods because the U.S. market has grown too expensive to serve directly.
From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026
He related this as if visiting members of the international press were a regular diversion for us.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
