- to turn (a person or thing) aside from a course; deflect
- (transitive) to entertain; amuse
- (transitive) to distract the attention of
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
di•vert /dɪˈvɜrt, daɪ-/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to turn aside or from a path or course;
draw off to a different course or use:We diverted our funds to paying for college. - to distract (the attention):My attention was diverted for a moment by the accident.
- to distract from serious occupation;
entertain or amuse:The children were diverted by the clown.
di•vert
(di vûrt′, dī-),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
di•vert′ed•ly, adv.
di•vert′er, n.
di•vert′i•ble, adj.
- to turn aside or from a path or course;
deflect. - British Termsto route (traffic) on a detour.
- to draw off to a different course, purpose, etc.
- to distract from serious occupation;
entertain or amuse.
v.i.
- to turn aside;
veer:It is sad to see so much talent divert to trivial occupations.
- Latin dīvertere, equivalent. to dī- di-2 + vertere to turn
- late Middle English 1400–50
di•vert′er, n.
di•vert′i•ble, adj.
- 4. delight. See amuse.
- 4. bore.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
divert /daɪˈvɜːt/ vb
'divert' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
alienate
- amuse
- beam
- decoy
- detour
- detract
- divers
- divorce
- hijack
- palm off
- shunt
- spoiler
- weir
- abstract
- backwind
- beguile
- behead
- canalize
- cone
- convert
- desecrate
- disport
- distract
- diverse
- diversion
- diversionary
- diversionist
- divertimento
- diverting
- divertissement
- divertive
- entertain
- estrange
- flume
- lightning rod
- pervert
- Potemkin village
- predivert
- red herring
- redivert
- turn
- undiverted
- undivertible
- water table
- wind sail
- sublimate
- switch