diverted

verb

past tense of divert
1
as in amused
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied a light comedy to divert the tired business executive

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 diverted Yet state lawmakers and governors routinely diverted transportation revenues to pay for other government expenses. — Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026 Irish airline Aer Lingus diverted its Dublin to Rome flight on Thursday morning following a hoax bomb threat. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026 On Monday, a Wizz Air flight traveling from London to Bulgaria was diverted after a bomb threat was received mid-flight, making an emergency landing in Budapest. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 7 Nov. 2026 More than two dozen flights were affected by threats earlier in the week, with some diverted as authorities scrambled to rule out any danger. — ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026 Two flights, from Copenhagen and Milan, landed at their destination while a third, from London, was diverted to the city of Plovdiv, the Bulgarian Transport Ministry said in an email. — Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2026 State police said traffic was diverted at Exit 46 while investigators processed the scene. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 31 Oct. 2026 Several speakers noted that while fish species are declining dramatically, about 80% of the water that’s diverted and pumped in California is used for agriculture, and vast quantities of almonds and pistachios are being shipped overseas. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 Arlington Police said that westbound Pioneer traffic is being diverted north onto Center. — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverted
  1. amused
  2. turned
  3. distracted
  4. entertained
  5. swung
  6. regaled
  7. redirected
  8. whipped
Verb
  • Iowa’s roughly 900,000 cyclists, many of whom have participated in an annual cycling tour that’s made the state synonymous with biking, weren’t amused.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Commenters seem amused by the apparent gaffe and have chosen to convey their feelings through a plethora of puns, jokes and memes.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of amused
Verb
  • The ambush-style attack turned into an eight-hour standoff with law enforcement.
    — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The Chiefs entered 2026 hoping to rebound from a 6-11 season and return to the Super Bowl conversation, but their loss to Denver has turned simply winning the division into a dogfight.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of turned
Verb
  • And, on the eve of the election, El-Sayed’s primary opponent, Haley Stevens, distracted from the conversation with her left-field endorsement of Rogers that may have ejected her from the Democratic party and possibly a political career.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The first officer used her Taser twice on the dogs, which distracted them but did not stop them from attacking, police say.
    — Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of distracted
Verb
  • For families The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, has plenty of ways to keep children entertained during their stay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The city entertained at least four proposals from various companies to conduct the study and found that GZA Environmental's proposal was both the most comprehensive and the cheapest.
    — Conor Wight, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of entertained
Verb
  • The New York Times estimates all voters swung about 15 points toward Democrats compared to 2024, helping the party flip seats in deep red states like Texas and South Carolina.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Prices for the commodity have been volatile over the past few years as supplies swung dramatically one season to the next, with climate change, water scarcity, and pest and disease playing a role.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of swung
Verb
  • Turturro regaled attendees with stories about his impressive stage career.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Recurring bits like Opera Man, where Sandler, draped in a cape, regaled Weekend Update with off-key, operatic renditions of the news of the day, weren’t exactly tight political satire.
    — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of regaled
Verb
  • Asked by an audience member why film budgets stay tight even as ticket prices climb, Mihai said arthouse theaters in Europe struggle to survive and many are closing, while her community lives in constant fear of funding being redirected.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Frondell redirected Tyler Bertuzzi’s wrist shot from the point past a surprised DiPietro early in the second period for his second career two-goal game.
    — Jim Fuller, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of redirected
Verb
  • The Falcons’ starting quarterback twirled a black string around his finger, then violently whipped it down after his first interception.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Brown became the leader of the House Trade Working Group, a caucus of Democratic representatives opposed to free-trade agreements who whipped votes on those deals.
    — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of whipped

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divert
diverted
diverting
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Cite this Entry

“Diverted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverted. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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