divert

divert — verb

1. to make a person, vehicle, or thing go in a different direction from the one the

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to make a person, vehicle, or thing go in a different direction from the one they were following

Example

The flight crew diverted the plane to Chicago after a passenger collapsed in the aisle.

divert + noun + to + place for an emergency

Heavy rain forced the carnival parade to divert from its usual route.

Common collocations
  • divert traffic
  • divert a plane
  • divert a river
  • divert from
  • divert to
Synonyms
  • redirect

    more general; can apply to mail, phone calls, or traffic without a sense of obstacles

  • reroute

    focuses on changing a planned path, especially for vehicles or deliveries

  • deflect

    suggests pushing something away at an angle, often involving physical force

Grammar Patterns

divert + noun + to/from + place

divert + from + noun

Usage Note

This sense can be used both transitively (someone diverts something) and intransitively (something diverts, i.e. changes course). The intransitive use is less common and typically describes traffic, parades, water flow, or aircraft.

Common Mistakes

The plane diverted from New York' (meaning it left from New York, not that it changed course).
The plane diverted from its original route and landed in Chicago.
'divert' implies a change from an expected path, not the starting point.

2. to use money, time, resources, or effort for a purpose that was not the original

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to use money, time, resources, or effort for a purpose that was not the original one

Example

Bilal diverted part of his monthly salary into a separate savings account.

divert + money + into + account

Minho decided to divert his energy away from video games and toward his studies.

Common collocations
  • divert funds
  • divert resources
  • divert money
  • divert energy
  • divert from
  • divert to
Synonyms
  • reallocate

    more formal, typically used in business or government contexts

  • earmark

    suggests setting aside for a specific future purpose rather than changing an existing one

  • redirect

    broader; can refer to attention, energy, or resources

Grammar Patterns

divert + noun (money/resources) + from + noun + to/toward + noun

Usage Note

The object is typically a resource (money, funds, energy, effort, materials) or a physical space. The pattern is usually 'divert [resource] from [original use] to [new use]'.

Common Mistakes

I diverted my lunch to a friend' (meaning I gave it away).
I diverted the grant money to a new research project.
'divert' for repurposing applies to resources, not to everyday objects you hand to someone.

3. to pull someone's thoughts or focus away from what they are doing or thinking ab

3.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to pull someone's thoughts or focus away from what they are doing or thinking about

Example

Tunde tried to divert his daughter's attention from the candy display at the checkout counter.

divert someone's attention from/to something

Loud music from the apartment next door kept diverting Linh from her history homework.

Common collocations
  • divert attention
  • divert someone's focus
  • divert thoughts
  • divert the mind
Synonyms
  • distract

    more common and often implies a negative or unwanted interruption; 'divert' is more neutral

  • disturb

    stronger; implies disrupting or breaking concentration entirely

  • deflect

    physically pushes something away; used metaphorically for blame or criticism

Grammar Patterns

divert + noun (attention/thoughts) + from + noun

Usage Note

Frequently used in the pattern 'divert someone's attention/thoughts/mind' followed by 'from' or 'off'. Unlike 'distract', which often implies a negative interruption, 'divert' can be intentional and neutral.

Common Mistakes

The noise of the TV was diverting me.
The noise of the TV was distracting me.
'divert' typically takes an object like 'attention' or 'focus' rather than a person directly, unless used reflexively ('divert oneself').

4. to amuse someone or provide enjoyment, especially by giving them something pleas

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to amuse someone or provide enjoyment, especially by giving them something pleasant to focus on instead of their worries

Example

Hugo read comic books to divert himself while waiting for his delayed flight.

divert oneself with/by + activity

Andrés built a treehouse to divert the children on long rainy summer afternoons.

Common collocations
  • divert oneself
  • divert someone from their worries
  • divert the mind
Synonyms
  • entertain

    more common in everyday use; broader range from hosting guests to providing amusement

  • amuse

    focuses on causing laughter or light enjoyment

  • distract

    similar idea of taking attention away, but without the positive connotation of enjoyment

Grammar Patterns

divert + oneself + with/by + activity

divert + noun (person) + from + worry/pain

Usage Note

Often used reflexively ('divert oneself') or with an object that is a person. This sense is more formal and literary than the everyday word 'entertain'. In modern conversation, 'take someone's mind off things' is more common.

Common Mistakes

We diverted the guests with dinner and music.
We entertained the guests with dinner and music.
'divert' in the entertainment sense sounds old-fashioned or literary in most social contexts; use 'entertain' for everyday hosting.

Word family

  • diversion
    nounB2
  • diversionary
    adjectiveC1
  • diverted
    adjectiveB2
  • diverting
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe changing the course of something, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Redirect' is the broadest — you can redirect mail, phone calls, traffic, or even someone's career path, usually by sending it to a new destination. 'Reroute' is more specific to planned journeys: packages, flights, and delivery trucks get rerouted when the original path is blocked. 'Deflect' implies a sharper angle of change, often involving physical force (a shield deflects an arrow) or metaphorical force (deflecting blame). 'Turn aside' is a phrasal verb that feels slightly older or more literary, used for physically stepping out of someone's way or metaphorically rejecting an offer. For everyday directional changes, 'redirect' is the safest choice; for official travel changes, use 'reroute'. Example: 'The airline rerouted the flight through Dubai.' 'I redirected the email to my assistant.' 'The goalkeeper deflected the ball with his hand.'

redirectreroutedeflect ↗turn aside

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • divert attention from
  • divert resources to
  • divert funds into
  • divert from its course

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'divertere', meaning 'to turn in different directions' — a combination of 'dis-' (apart) and 'vertere' (to turn). The word passed through Old French before entering Middle English in the 15th century. The core idea of turning aside has remained stable, while the extended uses (repurposing resources, distracting attention, entertaining) developed between the 16th and 18th centuries.