1
as in amuses
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 turns
to change the course or direction of (something)
the bike race was diverted around the construction zone
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in distracts
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 diverts
But a road trip diverts your mind away from tech and into the present.
—
Laura Kiniry,
Popular Science,
17 June 2026
Like the lives of the characters who comprise Weinstein’s mosaic, the music is both lovingly intricate and all too easy to ignore when the algorithm diverts our attention elsewhere.
—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
8 June 2026
And focusing on Marilyn and a bathing suit, and calling that exploitation sort of diverts the conversation away from where she actually was exploited.
—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
This creates a dangerous situation and diverts emergency 9-1-1 and police resources, since officers take every report of gun violence and suspicious firearm use seriously.
—
Peter D'abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Using proprietary technology, such as its allocation engine, Debrand facilitates the management of unsellable inventory and returns—something the Canadian hub said diverts textile waste from landfills and promotes circularity in the fashion industry, as evidenced by the brand case studies.
—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
Both charming decoration and functional solution, the rain chain diverts rainwater from the roof and gutters, transforming it into a beautiful water feature.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Apr. 2026
Critics say the program diverts funds from public schools.
—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
The system diverts stormwater into a giant tank and then, at Fourteenth Street, pumps it out at up to three hundred and fifty million gallons a day, sending it on to the Newtown Creek wastewater facility.
—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Laura Kiniry,
Popular Science,
17 June 2026
Like the lives of the characters who comprise Weinstein’s mosaic, the music is both lovingly intricate and all too easy to ignore when the algorithm diverts our attention elsewhere.
—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
8 June 2026
And focusing on Marilyn and a bathing suit, and calling that exploitation sort of diverts the conversation away from where she actually was exploited.
—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
This creates a dangerous situation and diverts emergency 9-1-1 and police resources, since officers take every report of gun violence and suspicious firearm use seriously.
—
Peter D'abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Using proprietary technology, such as its allocation engine, Debrand facilitates the management of unsellable inventory and returns—something the Canadian hub said diverts textile waste from landfills and promotes circularity in the fashion industry, as evidenced by the brand case studies.
—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
Both charming decoration and functional solution, the rain chain diverts rainwater from the roof and gutters, transforming it into a beautiful water feature.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Apr. 2026
Critics say the program diverts funds from public schools.
—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
The system diverts stormwater into a giant tank and then, at Fourteenth Street, pumps it out at up to three hundred and fifty million gallons a day, sending it on to the Newtown Creek wastewater facility.
—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverts
Verb
-
And Griffin Hanson amuses in several small roles.
-
The thing that amuses me the most?
Verb
-
Erratic sounds escape her—her body turns inside out, fingers extending and touching nothing.
-
Hallowed Halls turns your home into a stately Victorian manor, complete with spooky portraits, eerie black-and-gold decor, and even a few séance essentials.
Verb
-
Mother’s explosion distracts Blaine and frees Sam.
-
In my view, platforming these young men and sensationalizing their behaviors, rather than recognizing those behaviors as signs of psychological distress, distracts from the urgent need to address these serious mental health concerns.
Verb
-
For Rodriguez, the property represents the realization of a childhood dream that shaped not only the architecture of the home but also how the couple entertains and lives.
-
Moe entertains far grander dreams.
Verb
-
Smarter, Not Larger The conversation around AI often swings between extremes.
-
Toward the beginning of the episode, the group sits down to eat at a hole-in-the-wall barbecue spot and the camera swings around the table in a sweeping circular motion, capturing everyone laughing, bonding and sharing a meal.
Verb
-
Trump regularly regales audiences with his prowess as a dealmaker by recounting conversations he's had with Macron about trade irritants, mimicking Macron's responses in an exaggerated accent.
-
Aboard the boat, Terry regales his passengers with tales of the river, from namesake Twain to tragic Lovers' Leap just downstream of Hannibal.
Verb
-
Root deflects credit for its hilarity.
-
My aunt is easily offended and deflects any criticism, while my dad avoids confrontation at any cost.
Verb
-
Check out this 1997 live TV version of Paranoid Android, which veers from lullaby to apocalypse within the space of a few minutes.
-
But Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed almost immediately veers off into wild subplots about murder, corruption, and corporate malfeasance, as if to emphasize that low-level romance scams are just the tip of the internet’s fetid iceberg.
Cite this Entry
“Diverts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverts. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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