Definition of 'divert'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense diverts
, present participle diverting
, past tense, past participle diverted
1. verb
To divert vehicles or travellers means to make them follow a different route or go to a different destination than they originally intended. You can also say that someone or something diverts from a particular route or to a particular place.
[British] ...Rainham Marshes, east London, where a new bypass will divert traffic from the
A13. [V n + from/to]
regional note: in AM, use detour 2. verb
To divert money or resources means to cause them to be used for a different purpose.
The government is trying to divert more public funds from west to east. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
...government departments involved in diverting resources into community care. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
[Also VERB noun]3. verb
To divert a phone call means to send it to a different number or place from the one that was dialled by the person making the call.
Customers will only incur additional call charges if the call is diverted outside
the U.K.. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
[Also VERB noun] 4. verb
If you say that someone diverts your attention from something important or serious, you disapprove of them behaving or talking in a way that stops you thinking about it.
[disapproval] They want to divert the attention of the people from the real issues. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
The President needed to divert attention away from his own economic record. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
[Also VERB noun] Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
divert
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
Word Frequency
divert in British English
verb
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
diverter (diˈverter) noun
divertible (diˈvertible)
adjective
diverting (diˈverting)
adjective
divertingly (diˈvertingly)
adverb
divertive (diˈvertive)
adjective
Word origin
C15: from French divertir, from Latin dīvertere to turn aside, from di-2 + vertere to turn
Word Frequency
divert in American English
verb transitive
1.
to turn (a person or thing) aside from a course, direction, etc. into another; deflect
2.
to distract the attention of
3.
to amuse; entertain
SIMILAR WORDS: aˈmuse
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
divert in American English
(dɪˈvɜːrt, dai-)
transitive verb
1.
to turn aside or from a path or course; deflect
3.
to draw off to a different course, purpose, etc
4.
to distract from serious occupation; entertain or amuse
intransitive verb
SYNONYMS 4. delight. See amuse.ANTONYMS 4. bore.Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
divertedly adverb
diverter
noun
divertible
adjective
Word origin
[1400–50; late ME ‹ L dīvertere, equiv. to dī- di-2 + vertere to turn]Examples of 'divert' in a sentence
divert
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
Trends of
divert
View usage for:
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
divert
British English: divert
VERB /daɪˈvɜːt/
To divert vehicles or travelers means to make them go a different route. You can also say that someone or something diverts from a particular route.
We diverted a plane to rescue 100 passengers.
- American English: divert /daɪ-, dɪˈvɜrt/
- Brazilian Portuguese: desviar
- Chinese: 使改道
- European Spanish: desviar
- French: dévier
- German: umleiten
- Italian: dirottare
- Japanese: 進路を変更する
- Korean: 딴 데로 돌리다
- European Portuguese: desviar
- Latin American Spanish: desviar
- Thai: เบี่ยงเบน, หันเห, เปลี่ยนเส้นทาง, ออกนอกเส้นทาง
Browse alphabetically
divert
Related terms of
divert
Source
Definition of divert from the Collins English Dictionary
Read about the team of authors behind Collins Dictionaries.
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
FARM ANIMALS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
chicken
bull
donkey
goose
Your score:
Word of the day
bowdlerize
To bowdlerize a book or film means to take parts of it out before publishing it or showing it.
Latest Word Submissions
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
SYNONYMS
Select the synonym for:
windy
SYNONYMS
Select the synonym for:
to laugh
SYNONYMS
Select the synonym for:
to sleep
Your score:
Learning English: Saying goodbye
Learn informal ways to say goodbye in British English - from 'Goodbye' to 'See ya!' with examples and tips for everyday use.
Read more
Scrabble: Spoilt for Choice
Strategize your Scrabble moves based on anagrams on the board, score, vowel placement, and hooks to get the best score you can.
Read more
‘100 Words for Rain’ by Alex Johnson
Discover the allure of weather lore and literary references in "100 Words for Rain" and delve into rain phenomena and cultural anecdotes.
Read more
Learning English: Making a phone call
Ease your nerves with these helpful phrases for English phone calls. From introductions to inquiries, master effective communication.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more