1
as in to amuse
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
a light comedy to divert the tired business executive
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to turn
to change the course or direction of (something)
the bike race was diverted around the construction zone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of divert
The crowd looked skyward as a military helicopter approached from Gaza, briefly diverting from its route to Ichilov Hospital to circle the square in a symbolic salute.
—
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Williams was not motivated by political reasons, but his actions diverted police resources and created a dangerous environment, prosecutors wrote in court documents.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
Don’t allow his actions to divert your energy away from what matters most — being a loving stable role model for your children.
—Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
The Newsom administration has diverted additional taxpayer dollars to community-college programs, which isn’t an entirely bad idea.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for divert
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Williams was not motivated by political reasons, but his actions diverted police resources and created a dangerous environment, prosecutors wrote in court documents.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
Don’t allow his actions to divert your energy away from what matters most — being a loving stable role model for your children.
—Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
The Newsom administration has diverted additional taxpayer dollars to community-college programs, which isn’t an entirely bad idea.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for divert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divert
Verb
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These were all bad things, but somehow they were made good in the eyes of the people being amused by them.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
16 Oct. 2025
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As in Robinson’s other works, what elevates them from amusing to sublime is the way they’re performed, often by unfamiliar but wonderfully offbeat character actors — through overly broad smiles, wild-eyed smirks, strange pronunciations.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Take a cue from Gal Gadot and scroll on for more sweater vests that will turn your fall layers into a Wonder Woman-worthy outfit.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
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Anastasia Soare is turning heads and raising brows.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Many young people may be too distracted by the likes of MrBeast, who dropped out of college and turned a passion for video creation into a billion-dollar global empire.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
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Facilities like Sankofa and Nova House help those recovering from addiction fill their time with activities that distract them from the urge to use.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The club thought Beane was righteous and entertaining enough to feature his rant — that the Bills even had to bleep — at the very beginning of their behind-the-scenes draft special.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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This attracted many music students, one of them Costa Rican Mario Castellón, who formed a group with two Colombians, a Peruvian and a Chilean to entertain at a wedding.—
Karla Gachet,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Adam Weirib of Yanks Go Yard recently suggested the Yankees could look to swing a trade for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
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After decades of minimalist, thin-rimmed glassware, the surrealist alternative makes sense within the pendulum swing toward maximalist design and the blurring of lines between art and the purely functional.—
Emily Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But his film career began in earnest with 2020's Scare Me, a stylish comedy about writers regaling each story with spooky tales in an isolated cabin during a power outage.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
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Barry Humphries, a longtime friend of Birley’s, did his Dame Edna schtick on both nights, regaling the audience with tales of a love affair with his pal.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Spam, robocall, and phishing attempts are deflected away from your true identity, keeping you safe and private.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
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Coming off the positive of his first career touchdown Saturday, Perich mostly deflected questions on what this moment meant for him, especially in the context of the Cal game.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, with the number of residents dwindling, the government has decided to take down some shelters and redirect resources elsewhere.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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In the past, Ogles has spoken about his strategy of keeping campaign operations lean while redirecting donors to super PACs that later made independent expenditures supporting his campaign.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Divert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divert. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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