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
Spending millions on ineligible recipients only diverts resources from those most in need.
—
Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Instead, the funds are being used to produce a narrative that diverts attention from a major public health issue and discourages the press from covering it.
—Eleanor M. Perfetto, STAT, 7 Feb. 2026
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario goes long towards midfield, where Archie Gray diverts the ball to Rodrigo Bentancur.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
These tissues regenerate constantly, so when protein is scarce, your body diverts amino acids away from these aesthetic functions toward more critical ones, like maintaining organ health and immunity.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 18 Dec. 2025
O’Neill directs the steamroller of tragedy right at the characters and then — atypically, delightfully — diverts it.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
Pureval said the move won't affect a city program that diverts nonviolent calls to mental health teams.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
The 42-mile long canal runs from Boise through Nampa and diverts 240 million gallons a day, according to the district.
—Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2025
Transforming these bottles into supercapacitor components not only diverts waste from landfills but also provides sustainable, high-performance energy storage options.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025
Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Instead, the funds are being used to produce a narrative that diverts attention from a major public health issue and discourages the press from covering it.
—Eleanor M. Perfetto, STAT, 7 Feb. 2026
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario goes long towards midfield, where Archie Gray diverts the ball to Rodrigo Bentancur.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
These tissues regenerate constantly, so when protein is scarce, your body diverts amino acids away from these aesthetic functions toward more critical ones, like maintaining organ health and immunity.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 18 Dec. 2025
O’Neill directs the steamroller of tragedy right at the characters and then — atypically, delightfully — diverts it.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
Pureval said the move won't affect a city program that diverts nonviolent calls to mental health teams.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
The 42-mile long canal runs from Boise through Nampa and diverts 240 million gallons a day, according to the district.
—Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2025
Transforming these bottles into supercapacitor components not only diverts waste from landfills but also provides sustainable, high-performance energy storage options.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverts
Verb
-
In December, the two sat down in Exactly Right’s Burbank headquarters — a setting that still amuses them both.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Zoë has been Artemis' right-hand warrior for more than 2,000 years, giving her a more serious nature that amuses modern demigods.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, worked through a back issue that sidelined him for all of training camp and passed for a league-best 46 touchdowns and 4,707 yards.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Leavitt turns the tables on media outrage as FBI seizes Fulton election documents.—
,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Border security is not the mission of the GLO, and using this office for that purpose distracts from its core responsibilities, managing public land, supporting public education, assisting veterans, and overseeing disaster recovery.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Suicide is tragic, and prevention is essential — but not through research that distracts from the real risks facing NFL players and young athletes.—
Eleanor M. Perfetto,
STAT,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
With or without a bird’s nest in the nearby passion fruit vine, the outdoor living room, where Garner entertains friends in the evening by the fire, is a dreamlike oasis for curling up next to the space heaters with a cozy blanket.—
Architectural Digest,
Architectural Digest,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Tellingly, when thinking about Erika on his own, Elliot entertains more traditional desires, like getting married and starting a family.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One thing that has always bothered me is that the fridge sits in the back left corner of the hall-like kitchen, but the door swings open to the right.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Couvent is cultivating its own scene in the south of France, one that swings more Provence than Cote d’Azur.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Ninny regales Evelyn with tales of Idgi, her sister-in-law and friend who used to run the Whistle Stop Cafe, a restaurant on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama, that served good coffee, better barbecue, and great gossip.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Greaves, who earned his 17th win, deflects praise like a wrist shot from distance.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
With most Americans unhappy with the state of the economy, the president gets combative and deflects blame.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The second installment, which veers away significantly from Quinn's The Viscount Who Loved Me, sees Anthony caught in a good old-fashioned love triangle, with Kate's younger sister, Edwina.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
-
But the ad also veers away from the usual Bud Light formula.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Diverts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverts. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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