to divert
41
4.7
- verb
- /dɪˈvɜrt/
:
entretener
- She told a funny story to divert the children's attention from the thunderstorm outside.
- divert attention
- divert interest
- divert focus
What are hot issues that divert people's attention?
- What are hot issues that divert people's attention?
- Sports isn't doing anything for us except diverting us.
- How about a meme is really defined, she said, as something that diverts many, many, many good people from doing a good day's work.
- And it's easier to divert to something that will give us a sense of ease and comfort or distraction than to sit with that sense of dis ease.
- And maybe if you divert your attention, maybe the good stuff will make the suck your attention away.
Examples
-
The magician performed tricks to divert the audience while he set up his next act.
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I'm gonna hide him, and you divert her attention.
-
At least that pretty girl was here to divert our attention.
-
Let's try and divert him there.
-
What are hot issues that divert people's attention?
-
I find the country very diverting.
-
The children will find my games diverting.
-
The hope that a card game would divert his thoughts hadn't worked.
Fiction book (1991) -
"Look!" she exclaimed, in an attempt to divert their attention, "Captain Blood's treasure chest."
Fiction book (2000) -
"Abby just went to talk," Bree said to divert Dotty's attention from Jane.
Fiction book (1998)
Synonyms
513
2.1
To make someone stop paying attention to what they are doing or thinking about
226
2.0
Make people laugh or enjoy themselves
153
1.4
To make someone laugh or enjoy themselves
Antonyms
How Entertaining
Surface Forms
Etymology
Divert comes from the Latin parts dis- 'away' and vertere 'to turn', so it means 'turn away'. A helpful way to remember the meaning 'entertain' is to think of it as 'turning' someone's mind away from worries, so something that diverts you gives you a pleasant break.