Divert Meaning
/daɪˈvɜːt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo turn aside from a course.
verbTo distract.
Sentence Examples
She could divert herself from the anxieties.
Don't let them divert you from your purposes.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Engineers plan to ____ the river to prevent flooding in the nearby town.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She could ____ herself from the anxieties.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English diverten, Old French divertir (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”), from Latin di- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Many of the remaining trains have been retimed and where possible freight trains have also been diverted to alternative routes."
— 1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London-Birmingham services - Past, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 99:
"Until the main road from Hatfield to Hertford was diverted a few years ago, heavy lorries trundling through the village sometimes knocked chunks off corner buildings, but now the village has regained much of its former tranquillity."
— 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 224, about Hertingfordbury:
"that crude apple that diverted Eve"
— [1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC:
"We are amused by a tale, diverted by a comedy."
— 1871, Charles John Smith, Synonyms Discriminated:
"But somehow, despite wooden, unfunny dialogue, rigid characterization, and the dreadful mindless meaninglessness of it all, Good News manages to divert us for its three hours."
— 1973 December 29, Jonathan Cross, “The Fag In The Fifth Row”, in Gay Community News, volume 1, number 28, page 4:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Engineers plan to ____ the river to prevent flooding in the nearby town.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She could ____ herself from the anxieties.