Synonym Chooser

How is the word divert different from other verbs like it?

The words amuse and entertain are common synonyms of divert. While all three words mean "to pass or cause to pass the time pleasantly," divert implies distracting attention from worry or routine occupation especially by something funny.

a light comedy to divert the tired businessman

In what contexts can amuse take the place of divert?

The meanings of amuse and divert largely overlap; however, amuse suggests that one's attention is engaged lightly.

amuse yourselves while I make dinner

When would entertain be a good substitute for divert?

Although the words entertain and divert have much in common, entertain suggests supplying amusement by specially contrived methods.

a magician entertaining children at a party

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of divert The film tells the dramatic story of three community leaders in Latin America who resisted government and corporate plans to divert critical local water resources to mining and hydroelectric projects. Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 19 Apr. 2025 Drivers were being diverted to westbound SR 836, and as of 9 p.m., FDOT was telling drivers to seek alternative routes. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2025 On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to divert $3 million from the county’s 2018 $134-million settlement with lead-paint manufacturers to test residential properties that are both downwind and within one mile of the Eaton burn scar boundary. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025 The fourth plane, Flight 93, was diverted and crashed in Pennsylvania. Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for divert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divert
Verb
  • Since going viral, Joyce said the responses have been overwhelmingly positive and many people were amused by his Australian accent.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Anybody else amused that Knight was trying to sell the engagement from her fake wedding to Torres?
    Sara Netzley, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • When efforts to repurpose it as a museum or hotel didn’t materialize, Okaloosa County officials stepped in with a forward-thinking plan: turn the SS United States into a reef teeming with life, a win-win boon to the marine environment and to eco-tourism.
    Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2025
  • What was supposed to be a revenge tour has turned into a stumble out of the gate.
    Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Too often, however, the temptation to blame individuals or groups for housing ills distracts from the actual debate and prevents all stakeholders from discovering their mutual interests.
    Matt Frazier, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The scientists now plan on developing the technology further, which will include boosting its ability to filter out distracting background noises such as those produced by body movements.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In a sweet moment shared by the NBA, Clark was seen entertaining two of White's sons, bringing them into frame to wave at the camera when she was captured on the Jumbotron.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The change is one that has left Morton suitably entertained.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The second player swings the ball across the top of the key to the second side.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The former mayor of Salzburg gave the project the go-head in 2024, but now a governmental skirmish has begun after the mayoral office swung from the political right to the left after an election.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The president took them through the residence, showing off the Lincoln Bedroom and the Yellow Oval Room while regaling the group with historical facts, and finished the jaunt in the Oval Office.
    Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
  • There will also be new characters for guests to greet and learn their lore — an eccentric monster hunter and a talented musician who regales guests with songs and tales.
    Samantha Neely, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Built in the 17th century, the national monument is made of native coquina stones, which absorbed or deflected enemy projectiles, giving the Spanish an advantage.
    Kara Franker, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
  • The defender was even better in 2023, earning First-team All-American honors after securing three interceptions and deflecting seven passes.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The federal government’s online hub for news and information on COVID-19, the disease that's killed over a million Americans, now redirects to a new White House website that blames China for the pandemic.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • In addition to reducing waste and redirecting organic materials from the landfill, making your own compost from food scraps produces good mineral soil for your garden.
    Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Divert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divert. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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