1
as in to amuse
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied
a light comedy to divert the tired business executive
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to turn
to change the course or direction of (something)
the bike race was diverted around the construction zone
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of divert
During the period, major ocean carriers largely avoided the region, instead opting to divert their vessels around southern Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
—
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
Noland hopes the millions saved in federal grant money will be diverted to further improvements along the Monon Corridor.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors said the scheme netted Smith more than $8 million by diverting royalty payments away from legitimate artists.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
London — The world, hungry for oil, got a modest reprieve earlier this month when Saudi Arabia began diverting millions of barrels of crude —ordinarily destined for ships transiting the blockaded Strait of Hormuz — to its Red Sea port of Yanbu.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for divert
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
Noland hopes the millions saved in federal grant money will be diverted to further improvements along the Monon Corridor.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors said the scheme netted Smith more than $8 million by diverting royalty payments away from legitimate artists.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
London — The world, hungry for oil, got a modest reprieve earlier this month when Saudi Arabia began diverting millions of barrels of crude —ordinarily destined for ships transiting the blockaded Strait of Hormuz — to its Red Sea port of Yanbu.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for divert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divert
Verb
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Footage of an American in Spain handling a pickpocket thief went viral when it was shared on social media, as viewers were amused by his quick reaction.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Jessica Hecht, playing one of the hostages, adds her typically off-beat depth, and I was most amused by John Ortiz as the FBI agent with the standard G-man voice and personality to match.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Times of India found workers in Chirag Dilli, the city’s dumpling-making capital, so stretched for fuel that some had given up on steaming and had turned operations over to chow mein.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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That combination can turn a small spark into a fast-moving fire.—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Sear/Sauté function gets quite hot even on its low setting, so some of my garlic got a shade too brown while I was distracted opening the can of tomato paste.—
Callie Sumlin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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Colorado State Patrol is reminding all drivers that distracted driving can lead to life or death consequences.—
Brian Sherrod,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The kids' menu is tempting for adults and youngsters alike, and if in doubt, a ride in the golf carts that come with each villa will be more than enough to keep everyone entertained.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
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The notion of relying on Kurdish forces as a national alternative was briefly entertained, then abandoned.—
Kazem Kazerounian,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The three Americans and one Canadian will swing around the moon in their Orion capsule, hang a U-turn and then head straight back home without stopping.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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This fuel burn sets Orion on a path around the moon called a free return trajectory, which essentially means the spacecraft will enter the moon’s gravitational influence (but won’t orbit our natural satellite) and will swing around its far side.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Decades ago, Americans regaled their friends and neighbors with tales of their recent travels via slideshows presented at home on a Kodak Carousel projector.—
Keith Pandolfi,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
19 Mar. 2026
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Nash’s Santa Clara teams had that under coach Dick Davey, whose lessons in mental toughness were regaled in Nash’s Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement speech.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pant promoted himself as an opener but was run-out in the third over when Kumar couldn’t hold onto a sharp return catch of Mitchell Marsh, but the ball deflected onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Pant out of crease.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
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With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Demary made a shot from well behind the 3-point line.—
Noah Trister,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the weeks since the conflict started, the Port of Karachi has handled around 75 percent of cargo redirected toward Pakistan, with the remaining 25 percent processed at Karachi’s other gateway, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Organizers say this approach is intended to redirect economic activity away from major companies while strengthening local communities.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Divert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divert. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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