Definition of diversionnext
1
2
as in amusement
the act or activity of providing pleasure or amusement especially for the public movies and television became two of the most popular and influential diversions of the 20th century

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in deviation
a turning away from a course or standard carefully weighed testimony that did not contain the slightest diversion from the truth

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 diversion The diversion agreement – given to defendants with otherwise clean records – will require him to pay court fines and not rack up any new charges for a year. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 At the time, rates had been plummeting from their annual peak of nearly $6,000 that July, when mass diversions away from the Red Sea resulted in elevated congestion at some of the busiest gateways worldwide including the Ports of Singapore, Shanghai and Ningbo. Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 25 June 2026 Though Lumumba favored traditional dark suits, Mboladinga’s colorful clothing is an intentional diversion from his muse. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 23 June 2026 Disruption has also forced runway closures, mass flight diversions and emergency procedures at Newark Liberty, Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver international airports. Zak Kassas, The Conversation, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for diversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diversion
Noun
  • New York Police shut down the immediate vicinity of Madison Square Garden and closed part of 7th Avenue bottlenecking traffic near the iconic sports and entertainment arena.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • Knoebels was named America’s best amusement and water park for 2026 in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, which is based on reviews.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Ureña, a 22-year-old right-hander who has emerged as another potential ace, speaks of Soriano with a giddy amusement mixed with a solemn respect for how the starter has survived in the big leagues.
    Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • In the book, the Senator is a man — Paul Thurman — but Yost previously confirmed that the show makes significant deviations from the source material.
    Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • The structural design curtails the necessity for active safety mechanisms, electronic trip switches, or manual operator control interventions during an operational deviation.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • Residents raised concerns about heavy truck traffic, and negative impacts on property values, outdoor recreation spaces, trees and wildlife.
    Mars King, Twin Cities, 4 July 2026
  • But district officials plan to keep their promise to the state and residents to develop the property for recreation.
    Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • The moves were meant to reshape the roster to maximize superstar Luka Doncic, who will take the reins with the departure of LeBron James.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Johnston, Cobbins leaving Johnston’s departure comes just three years after becoming the long-term replacement for former County Administrator Doug Bach, who left the government under an $800,000 separation agreement.
    Sofi Zeman July 2, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • One of the artists Olivier interviewed, Xang, rapped at blistering decibels to the delight and confusion of a couple hundred stylish black and brown kids.
    Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
  • By the time Soto picked the ball up and looked toward the infield, Springer was already around third base to score his Little League home run to the delight of the Rogers Centre crowd.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Drivers should avoid off-road detours or unpaved shortcuts suggested by map apps, as those routes can be dangerous and unsuitable for passenger and commercial vehicles, state officials said.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 4 July 2026
  • During the World Cup and the United States’ Independence Day, Alex Lima went on a detour from his yearlong, continental trek in his white 1996 Fiat Uno, which has Brazil license plates.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • Set in the San Bernardino Mountains (like Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead), Oak Glen is home to acres of apple orchards, bed-and-breakfasts, and a family fun park, Oak Tree Mountain.
    Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
  • Every Sunday, the kids club—adorably called Sweet Potato—organizes eco-educational activities such as bamboo kit workshops and pigment painting classes, and the shallow end of the beachfront infinity pool delivers hours of watery fun.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Diversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diversion. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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