Meaning & use

divert

verb·Academic

To cause something or someone to change direction or course, often away from an original path.

See it in a sentence

Police diverted traffic away from the accident scene until the road could be cleared.

The comedian diverted the audience's attention with a joke whenever he forgot his lines.

A note on using this word

Divert can describe physical redirection, as with traffic, or a shift in attention, as in diverting someone from a worry.

Words with a similar meaning

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