1
as in amused
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
a light comedy to divert the tired business executive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in turned
to change the course or direction of (something)
the bike race was diverted around the construction zone
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in distracted
to draw the attention or mind to something else
trying to divert the child with a toy while the doctor was giving her a shot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of diverted
While the small moonlet asteroid Dimorphos posed no threat to Earth, the mission served as a successful demonstration that dangerous space rocks could be diverted from a collision course with Earth.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Construction equipment was mobilized to the project area March 23, and traffic was diverted away from the Twenty Mile Road's northbound lanes and onto the southbound lanes March 25.
—Olivia Young, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Traffic was being diverted off the highway at West Fond du Lac Avenue, before 91st Street, the sheriff said.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Officials said multiple trains would be diverted from the station as the investigation continued, and photos taken at the scene showed yellow tape near the turnstiles at Grand Central to bar commuters from entering.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
Distractions are a major culprit of this degradation of learning, Horvath previously told Fortune, adding that refocusing attention after it’s been diverted takes time to recover.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Military under severe strain The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) last month diverted a combat battalion from the northern border with Lebanon to the West Bank amid the wartime surge in settler violence.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
Invest in the future To fund these initiatives, the Defibrillator plan moves away from the overused and often opaque Tax Increment Financing (TIF) models that have historically diverted revenue away from general funds.
—John Mannillo, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
So, when funds meant to ease those pressures are diverted elsewhere, the impact is immediate.
—Jason Gallion, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Construction equipment was mobilized to the project area March 23, and traffic was diverted away from the Twenty Mile Road's northbound lanes and onto the southbound lanes March 25.
—Olivia Young, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Traffic was being diverted off the highway at West Fond du Lac Avenue, before 91st Street, the sheriff said.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Officials said multiple trains would be diverted from the station as the investigation continued, and photos taken at the scene showed yellow tape near the turnstiles at Grand Central to bar commuters from entering.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
Distractions are a major culprit of this degradation of learning, Horvath previously told Fortune, adding that refocusing attention after it’s been diverted takes time to recover.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Military under severe strain The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) last month diverted a combat battalion from the northern border with Lebanon to the West Bank amid the wartime surge in settler violence.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
Invest in the future To fund these initiatives, the Defibrillator plan moves away from the overused and often opaque Tax Increment Financing (TIF) models that have historically diverted revenue away from general funds.
—John Mannillo, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2026
So, when funds meant to ease those pressures are diverted elsewhere, the impact is immediate.
—Jason Gallion, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverted
Verb
-
There can be moments when she is comforted by the town or is amused by the town or finds joy in the town.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The air traffic controller on duty was not amused.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said last week that search and rescue operations had turned into search and recovery.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The soldiers had little time to prepare; the retreat turned into a rout.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Buxton scored the first run on a wild pitch and scored another later when Austin Martin was picked off and got caught in a rundown, breaking from third while Detroit defenders were distracted.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The implication is that she got distracted and failed to notice the most important things.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Galaxy entertained hopes of a second-leg comeback, looking for an early goal that might have put Toluca back on its heels.—
Damian Calhoun,
Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Fathers from local community groups and representatives from parenting and family organizations were invited to the fun event, where small children were entertained with crafts and invited to make their own paper crowns.—
Megan Hustwaite,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Denver swung on Alabama’s Que Robinson as a developmental prospect in the fourth round last year on sheer upside, and Capehart could be a similar interior fit in this class.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Tomato prices swung wildly in March, jumping 35 cents.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Decades ago, Americans regaled their friends and neighbors with tales of their recent travels via slideshows presented at home on a Kodak Carousel projector.—
Keith Pandolfi,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Nash’s Santa Clara teams had that under coach Dick Davey, whose lessons in mental toughness were regaled in Nash’s Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement speech.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead, the drive has redirected its energy toward dropping cards of encouragement and flowers at the homes of service members' families.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Those living in encampments can be redirected to areas in which schools and businesses are not within close proximity and won’t be subjected to arrest or citation.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Macaroons are made with shredded coconut that's added to whipped egg white and sugar.—
Amber Love Bond,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The pop-rock hit appeared last on the set and whipped the crowd into a frenzy of propulsive jumps and the loudest cheers of the night.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Diverted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverted. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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