diverts

verb

present tense third-person singular of divert
1
as in amuses
to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied a light comedy to divert the tired business executive

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2
as in turns
to change the course or direction of (something) the bike race was diverted around the construction zone

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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

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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 diverts Prop 137 diverts money from the state's current sales tax on sporting goods to conservation, wildfire risk mitigation and outdoor recreation programs. — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Providing false or misleading information to law enforcement undermines those efforts and unnecessarily diverts officers and resources away from members of our community who may need immediate police assistance. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026 Instead, your body diverts its limited calories elsewhere, pushing hair follicles into a two- to four-month resting phase before hair eventually sheds. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026 Blocking one chokepoint diverts traffic to others, congesting alternatives. — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 The attempt by former HFPA members to leverage the Golden Globe Foundation, an independent nonprofit, simply to secure Golden Globes tickets is an unfortunate distraction that inappropriately diverts resources from legitimate charitable causes. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 July 2026 An Israeli military official said such violence by Israelis diverts the defense force’s attention from its primary mission of defense and counterterrorism in a complex environment. — Reuters, NBC news, 27 July 2026 Her peer on the city payroll diverts up to 9% of every paycheck into funds paying today’s retirees — even though those funds’ ability to pay her own retirement is in doubt. — Stuart Loren, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 Where the film diverts from the norm lies in the unique, complicated characters and their weird, tortured even touching relationships. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diverts
  1. amuses
  2. turns
  3. distracts
  4. entertains
  5. swings
  6. regales
  7. deflects
  8. veers
Verb
  • According to the inner circle, the mythology is something that amuses Vernon more than anything else.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026
  • And Griffin Hanson amuses in several small roles.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of amuses
Verb
  • Sometimes you get wrapped up in things and your focus turns toward other types of content.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • By tonight, the Moon enters Aquarius and your attention turns toward what is worth your time and energy.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of turns
Verb
  • Yes, a legal circus distracts from the things that matter and creates a massive amount of drama all its own.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Often, undercapitalization is a major challenge for new franchisees and distracts from operations.
    — Angelo Chavez, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracts
Verb
  • What always entertains me so much about those types of conspiracies is that reality is just as crazy.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The Kings Dancers and Breakers will perform, while team mascot Slamson entertains the crowd.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of entertains
Verb
  • Elizondo’s wide-ranging production discography, which swings from hip-hop to country, rock and R&B, attracted Greta Van Fleet.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026
  • When the Spider swings past a silverish-gray newsstand filled with copies of the Daily Bugle, the frame becomes black-and-white, even in the color version.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of swings
Verb
  • Trump regularly regales audiences with his prowess as a dealmaker by recounting conversations he's had with Macron about trade irritants, mimicking Macron's responses in an exaggerated accent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 June 2026
  • Aboard the boat, Terry regales his passengers with tales of the river, from namesake Twain to tragic Lovers' Leap just downstream of Hannibal.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Definition of regales
Verb
  • While Boeing callously deflects blame for their negligence, a family of one victim finds strength in gathering collective mourning.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Those that have one benefit from a natural shield that deflects disruptive energy.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of deflects
Verb
  • Given the enormous energy packed away in Category 5 hurricanes, this could mean a prolonged cooler and drier period early next week, or the complete opposite if Polo veers too far east.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Steeped in a deep value investment philosophy that often veers toward the contrarian, the tough housing environment could provide rich targets for Berkshire, which sat on a war chest of some $367 billion at the end of June.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of veers

Browse Nearby Words

divertissements
diverts
dives
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Cite this Entry

“Diverts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diverts. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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