verb
divert
deye-VURT
verb
1
To change the direction or course of something.
"Police diverted traffic away from the accident scene."
"Funds were diverted from the marketing budget to cover the shortfall."
2
To draw someone's attention away from something.
"She tried to divert him from the topic by changing the subject."
3
To entertain or amuse someone.
"The clowns diverted the children while the parents queued for tickets."
How to Use Divert
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo redirect something — traffic, money, attention — away from its original path, or to keep someone amused.
Common pairings
divert attention
divert traffic
divert funds
Word Forms
diverted past tense, diverts singular
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Police _____ traffic away from the accident scene.
Etymology
From Old French divertir, from Latin di- ("apart") plus vertere ("to turn") — related to verse and versus.