1. a person who engages in diversion; one who creates a distraction or diversion to divert attention from something else
Usage: often used in military or tactical contexts
2. a person accused of attempting to undermine or sabotage a political system or organization through subversive tactics
Usage: chiefly historical or political; often used in Cold War-era contexts

Examples

• The military used a diversionist to draw enemy fire away from the main assault.
• During the Cold War, the regime labeled dissidents as diversionists to discredit them.
• The diversionist tactics succeeded in splitting the opposing forces.
• He was accused of being a diversionist for his attempts to destabilize the government.
• The team employed a diversionist strategy to confuse their competitors.
• Diversionists were blamed for the factory strikes, though evidence was lacking.