divert
Americanverb
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to turn (a person or thing) aside from a course; deflect
-
(tr) to entertain; amuse
-
(tr) to distract the attention of
Related Words
See amuse.
Other Word Forms
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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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.
“We worry that a Phase 3 trial could divert resources from lower-risk programs while at the same time co-opting the broader investment narrative,” Schmidt wrote.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
The consultants charged him the fee as part of the scheme to divert money to McCluskie, prosecutors allege.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
It is hitting personal computers and smartphones as memory makers divert production to more profitable AI-related products.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Those schemes see employers divert wages into a pension and contribute some money themselves.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
“You are not such a one, Hamlet, for think with what haste you wedded me yesterday. I hesitated, and you spurred me to action,” I said, hoping to divert him to thoughts of love.
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.
