diverted

past tense of divert
1
2
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

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 The incident caused a lengthy closure of southbound lanes of I-15 as the shooting was investigated, with vehicles initially being diverted to SR-163 on Friday evening. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025 While the process looks different today, and much is diverted to more modern structures like shopping malls, water diversion in places such as Maui used to be laid out naturally flowing from the mountains to the ocean in land division called ahupuaʻa. Jessica Rendall, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Like many places in Hawai‘i, Lahaina’s natural landscape was forever changed by the sugar cane industry and its farming practices—namely, irrigation tactics that diverted fresh water away from their natural flows and into the fields. Will McGough, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025 While the water main was being repaired, traffic was diverted through the nearby Town & Country shopping center and Walgreens parking lots. Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2025 But none of the players has diverted even a fraction of their finite resources this turn toward AI-safety research. Billy Perrigo, Time, 27 Aug. 2025 The foreign ministry previously said India had begun importing oil from Russia as traditional supplies were diverted to Europe over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Afp, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2025 An American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Phoenix was diverted to Washington Dulles after a passenger's device caught fire. Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2025 The pilots declared an emergency and diverted to Fort Meyers where the 191 people onboard safely evacuated. Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverted
Verb
  • On TikTok, Kobe's antics left viewers amused.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
  • The big glass pyramid amused Mona.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Valverde turned 27 in July and is now in his eighth season with Madrid’s first team since joining from Penarol in his Uruguayan homeland for €5million as an 18-year-old in summer 2016.
    Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Valdez turned his back to the plate and paused as Salazar and Volpe stared at him.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • No smear campaign distracted them.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Toward the end of the first set and beginning of the second, Anisimova appeared distracted by the lights and the roof, which were closed due to heavy rain in New York.
    Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • With a little creativity, there are plenty of ways to keep them entertained — all from the comfort of home.
    Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The Beatles great last entertained Chicago in July 2017.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For a locker room that’s been through a lot because the front office swung and missed on the worst quarterback trade in NFL history.
    Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Busta also received an assist from Papoose and Joyner Lucas, all of them sharing lyrical wordplay and seamless tradeoffs as Busta swung between his trademark dichotomy of rapping to gruff bellowing.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Appel also regaled the audience with his strategy that resulted in Springsteen getting on the cover of both Time and Newsweek.
    Caryn Rose, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
  • That’s his outlet for a passion that began during childhood walks alongside his father, who regaled him with the glory years.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The actress whipped out some ballerina dance moves to ensure each pair was still comfortable enough for any and all activities.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This mordant delight — about two young men who befriend one another in a support group for people who’ve lost a twin — whipped the Eccles theater into a frenzy with its cuttingly dark laughs and unexpected plot twists.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Energy once spent on anxiety or second-guessing can now be redirected toward innovation and problem-solving.
    Scott Hutcheson, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • That led to a dinner date, which soon redirected to Ansari’s Tribeca loft.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Diverted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverted. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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