diversion
Americannoun
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diversions
plural
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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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
Reitano focused on mental health diversion and treatment, aiming to support rehabilitation when possible.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
In one email, he all but admitted the scholarships to young women were a diversion.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
"People are using them proactively and on the A9 when someone sees a diversion, they automatically presume it is because something has happened," she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
His only diversion is collecting newspaper clippings of famous people, leading him to make secret late-night forays into the archives to uncover the minutiae of their lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, red-headed figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
But if you’re looking for joy online, we have diversions to help make this day fulfilling.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
Banks said there was a drop in takings at all the restaurants due to the street closure and diversions.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The authorities had to close Greek airspace for hours, causing chaos, with a chain of cancellations and diversions to neighbouring countries.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
Brent crude traded at $91.62 a barrel as Gulf oil exports ran at roughly half their prewar rate, with workarounds including pipeline diversions and shuttle ships coming under increasing pressure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Our windows overlooked the stables, not the busy courtyard with its many diversions.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
