1. to change the direction or course of something
2. to distract someone’s attention from something
3. to entertain or amuse someone

Examples

• The construction crew had to divert traffic around the accident.
• She tried to divert his attention from the surprise party preparations.
• The river was diverted to prevent flooding in the town.
• The comedian’s jokes diverted the audience from their worries.
• Police diverted the crowd away from the building.
• He diverted funds from one account to another.
• The children were easily diverted by the colorful toys.