divert
divert — verb
1. to make a person, vehicle, or thing go in a different direction from the one the
to make a person, vehicle, or thing go in a different direction from the one they were following
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.
Dahlia quickly diverted her eyes from the wreckage on the busy highway.
Engineers diverted the stream to bring water to fields beyond the hill.
文法句型
divert + noun + to/from + place
divert + from + noun
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
2. to use money, time, resources, or effort for a purpose that was not the original
to use money, time, resources, or effort for a purpose that was not the original one
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.
The city council diverted the unused building into a temporary shelter for homeless families.
Élise diverted the kitchen scraps from the bin to her compost pile in the garden.
- 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
文法句型
divert + noun (money/resources) + from + noun + to/toward + noun
用法筆記
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]'.
常見錯誤
3. to pull someone's thoughts or focus away from what they are doing or thinking ab
to pull someone's thoughts or focus away from what they are doing or thinking about
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.
Ishaan told a funny story to divert everyone from the news about the company merger.
Mira could not stop the intrusive thoughts that kept diverting her focus during the exam.
The teacher diverted the argumentative student's attention by asking him a question about today's lesson.
文法句型
divert + noun (attention/thoughts) + from + noun
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
4. to amuse someone or provide enjoyment, especially by giving them something pleas
to amuse someone or provide enjoyment, especially by giving them something pleasant to focus on instead of their worries
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.
The hospital volunteers played board games to divert the young patients from their pain.
Cole took up gardening to divert his mind after retiring from his job.
Sade watched old movies to divert herself from the stress of her final exams.
文法句型
divert + oneself + with/by + activity
divert + noun (person) + from + worry/pain
用法筆記
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.