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 Friday’s draft decision includes new caveats suggested by the State Water Board limiting water diversions from the Delta to 986,000 acre-feet and requiring the project to align with Bay-Delta planning rules to protect fisheries. Chaewon Chung march 23, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026 Located in the high desert to the east of California’s Sierra Nevada, the lake dried up in the early 20th century as a result of water diversions by the city of Los Angeles. Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026 This was what happened to a couple who reached out to our diversion team. Paul Delessio, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026 Under Healey’s $4 million request, Bradley fears the program would suffer from limited training capacity and fewer available clinicians and diversion options across Massachusetts. Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for diversion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diversion
Noun
  • The book portrays an authoritarian near-future Russia where most entertainment and all news comes through Cameras, people wired to transmit their experiences directly from their brains to the internet.
    Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
    Ashley Boucher, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • But then Bennett later pulled the same trick at the Beverly Hilton hotel, to McCartney’s amusement.
    Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
  • No one wants to be a jester, debasing oneself for a more powerful person’s amusement.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • By improving their algorithms and collecting more data, the team hopes to improve their measurements and possibly uncover deviations from existing theories.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
  • To anyone following the MAHA movement and the activities of the surgeon general nominee, Casey Means, these deviations will not be surprising.
    Christopher Duggan, STAT, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The new rules were approved by the county's recreation and park commission last week, and they are scheduled to go before the board of supervisors for a vote in the next two months.
    James Taylor, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Priorities remaining this year include boosting community engagement through surveys and website additions, developing strategic plans for village parks and recreation facilities and seeking funding for infrastructure improvements, Dodge said.
    Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The Seattle Seahawks face a big transition at running back this year with the departure of Kenneth Walker III in free agency, and head coach Mike Macdonald opened up on where the team stands.
    Matthew Davis, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Those rates apply to bags checked more than 24 hours before departure.
    Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Whether biennials or museum shows, exhibitions are spaces for learning about images, the world, and the pains and delights of being alive.
    Raphael Fonseca, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Marlowe and Shakespeare were just refreshers for me and also gave me a chance to act out monologues for my cellmates, much to their delight and confusion.
    Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • After a pandemic-era detour back to land casinos in Philly, Florida, and Las Vegas, Simonetti is now back at sea on his 14th contract with Crystal, having visited 116 countries and counting—some of them more than a dozen times.
    Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Mill Road will be closed, and drivers should expect to follow detours for the duration of the project.
    Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Soderbergh extracts some fun from the ensuing cat-and-mouse logistics, from Lori’s meticulous duplication of the Christophers to Julian’s efforts to bluff her into admitting her true intentions.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Emotions could impact your plans for fun!
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Diversion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diversion. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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