divert
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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to turn (a person or thing) aside from a course; deflect
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(tr) to entertain; amuse
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(tr) to distract the attention of
Synonym Usage
See amuse.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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undivertedadjective
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divertedlyadverb
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divertingadjective
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divertibleadjective
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divertinglyadverb
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diverternoun
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predivertverb (used with object)
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undivertibleadjective
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redivertverb (used with object)
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divertiveadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has divertedperfect 3rd person singular
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have divertedperfect
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have been divertingperfect progressive
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are divertingprogressive
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has been divertingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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divertingparticiple
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divertssingular 3rd person
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is divertingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am divertingprogressive 1st person singular
Past
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had divertedperfect
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divertedparticiple
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were divertingprogressive plural
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was divertingprogressive singular
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divertedsimple
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had been divertingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of divert
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin dīvertere, from dī- di- 2 + vertere “to turn”
Explanation
To divert means to shift or turn from one thing to another. A magician might attempt to divert your attention as he shoves the rabbit into the hat. The police will divert traffic if there has been an accident that blocks the road, and it's a good idea to divert some of your income into a savings account so you don't spend it all. Are you throwing a surprise party for a friend at his house? Have a neighbor divert him for a little while if he comes home early so that you can finish getting ready. While these uses concern physically guiding something to a different location, divert can also be used to mean "distract" or "entertain." If your friend can't stop worrying about her grades, you might want to divert her with the latest school gossip.
Vocabulary lists containing divert
The Outsiders
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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The Pearl
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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.
Both support the effort to divert some 911 calls away from the Los Angeles Police Department, shifting them to unarmed responders.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
And she opposed the $2.6-billion upgrade of the Convention Center, saying it would divert funds away from core city services.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
It’s better to capture the revenue than divert it to ticket resellers, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
On Monday, Musk's lawyers are expected to try to convince the jury that Microsoft, by investing in OpenAI in 2019, knew it was helping divert a nonprofit foundation from its original purpose.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
I would make another effort to divert my thoughts.
From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus
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.
