Diversion
noun
The act of changing the direction or use of something.
The diversion of the river caused some lands to be flooded.
noun
Something that takes attention away from what is happening.
The magician used a quick diversion to perform his trick.
noun
A different route that is used because the usual one is closed.
During the road work, motorists have to follow a diversion.
noun
A tactic or action used to draw attention away from what is actually happening.
The loud noise was a diversion to distract the guards.
Usage tips
Formal
noun
The act of changing the direction or use of something.
The diversion of the river caused some lands to be flooded.
noun
Something that takes attention away from what is happening.
The magician used a quick diversion to perform his trick.
noun
A different route that is used because the usual one is closed.
During the road work, motorists have to follow a diversion.
noun
A tactic or action used to draw attention away from what is actually happening.
The loud noise was a diversion to distract the guards.
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Change
Refers to altering the actual route or function of something physical, like a road or river.
The city planned a diversion for the main street to add bike lanes.
Pro Tip 2/2Resource Redirect
Can indicate resources being directed away from their original target, often for a new purpose.
Funds were given a diversion to emergency relief instead of the planned infrastructure project.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Change
Refers to altering the actual route or function of something physical, like a road or river.
The city planned a diversion for the main street to add bike lanes.
Pro Tip 2/2Resource Redirect
Can indicate resources being directed away from their original target, often for a new purpose.
Funds were given a diversion to emergency relief instead of the planned infrastructure project.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Change
Refers to altering the actual route or function of something physical, like a road or river.
The city planned a diversion for the main street to add bike lanes.
Pro Tip 2/2Resource Redirect
Can indicate resources being directed away from their original target, often for a new purpose.
Funds were given a diversion to emergency relief instead of the planned infrastructure project.
Compare with
amusementdeflectiondetourdeviatedigressiondistractibilityentertainmentindulgenceintermissionredirection
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Video examples
Peter Donnelly: How...
which every -- you're in good company -- everybody gets wrong. This is my little diversion into my real passion, which is genetics. There's a connection between head-tail-heads and head-tail-tails in genetics, and it's the following. When you toss a coin, you get a sequence of heads and tails.
Video examples
Concrete to Help Gulf...
there's going to be some large-scale strategies fresh water diversion that puts fresh water and sediments back into the marsh system but there are going to be some conservation targets if the oysters are able to latch onto suitable structures artificial or otherwise both
Video examples
A Camera, Two Kids and a...
little you know downcast and about 4 o'clock in the morning a woman came to my apartment and knocked on the door and said dress modestly bring one camera and I followed her and she created a diversion while I slid inside and a group of women welcomed me into where
Video examples
Choose your own TED Talk...
seven years later on and you can see it's greatly simplified so there is actually not many diversions from the main story and one thing that you have to look hard to to spot out in this picture there's actually only one very good ending to the story so choice it
Video examples
The surprising habits of...
He wrote as much in his journal. But some of the diversions he took in optics transformed the way that he modeled light and made him into a much better painter. What about Martin Luther King, Jr.? The night before the biggest speech of his life,
Video examples
Blood, concrete, and...
complete with numerous amenities, including a state-of-the-art hospital. Before construction on the dam could begin, the entire river had to be rerouted. Building these diversion tunnels required blasting into each side of the canyon
Video examples
The Art of Stillness PIPE...
and I still have to support my loved ones as a travel writer and a journalist, so clearly this is not ideal for job advancement or for cultural excitement or for social diversion. But I realized that it gives me what I prize most,
Video examples
Shlomo Benartzi: Saving...
So this issue of present bias causes us to think about saving, but end up spending. Let me now talk about another behavioral obstacle to saving having to do with inertia. But again, a little diversion
Video examples
Why should you listen to...
but also as potential careers for those who might fail to make good marriages. Even in the composer's own time, Vivaldi's music served as diversion for all, not just for the wealthy aristocrats.
Video examples
Art that transforms...
They decided that they were not being asked to take responsibility, or maybe the bus planning manager was being asked to take responsibility for planning the bus diversions,
Video examples
Peter Donnelly: How...
which every -- you're in good company -- everybody gets wrong. This is my little diversion into my real passion, which is genetics. There's a connection between head-tail-heads and head-tail-tails in genetics, and it's the following. When you toss a coin, you get a sequence of heads and tails.
Video examples
Concrete to Help Gulf...
there's going to be some large-scale strategies fresh water diversion that puts fresh water and sediments back into the marsh system but there are going to be some conservation targets if the oysters are able to latch onto suitable structures artificial or otherwise both
Video examples
A Camera, Two Kids and a...
little you know downcast and about 4 o'clock in the morning a woman came to my apartment and knocked on the door and said dress modestly bring one camera and I followed her and she created a diversion while I slid inside and a group of women welcomed me into where
Video examples
Choose your own TED Talk...
seven years later on and you can see it's greatly simplified so there is actually not many diversions from the main story and one thing that you have to look hard to to spot out in this picture there's actually only one very good ending to the story so choice it
Video examples
The surprising habits of...
He wrote as much in his journal. But some of the diversions he took in optics transformed the way that he modeled light and made him into a much better painter. What about Martin Luther King, Jr.? The night before the biggest speech of his life,
Video examples
Blood, concrete, and...
complete with numerous amenities, including a state-of-the-art hospital. Before construction on the dam could begin, the entire river had to be rerouted. Building these diversion tunnels required blasting into each side of the canyon
Video examples
The Art of Stillness PIPE...
and I still have to support my loved ones as a travel writer and a journalist, so clearly this is not ideal for job advancement or for cultural excitement or for social diversion. But I realized that it gives me what I prize most,
Video examples
Shlomo Benartzi: Saving...
So this issue of present bias causes us to think about saving, but end up spending. Let me now talk about another behavioral obstacle to saving having to do with inertia. But again, a little diversion
Video examples
Why should you listen to...
but also as potential careers for those who might fail to make good marriages. Even in the composer's own time, Vivaldi's music served as diversion for all, not just for the wealthy aristocrats.
Video examples
Art that transforms...
They decided that they were not being asked to take responsibility, or maybe the bus planning manager was being asked to take responsibility for planning the bus diversions,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Ayelet Waldman
Israeli Novelist
I did not want to raise a genetically compromised child. I did not want my children to have to contend with the massive diversion of parental attention, and the consequences of being compelled to care for their brother after I died. I wanted a genetically perfect baby, and because that was something I could control, I chose to end his life.
Quote examples
Michael Nielsen
Australian Writer
We have to overthrow the idea that it's a diversion from 'real' work when scientists conduct high-quality research in the open. Publicly funded science should be open science. Improving the way that science is done means speeding us along in curing cancer, solving the problem of climate change and launching humanity permanently into space.
Quote examples
Jeb Bush
American Politician
I really think that elected officials should be focused on how you create sustained economic growth, how do you create jobs and all of these issues that made people - segments of our society believe are really important are diversions politically.
Quote examples
George Lucas
American Director
There should be a point to movies. Sure, you're giving people a diversion from the cold world for a bit, but at the same time, you pass on some facts and rules and maybe a little bit of wisdom.
Quote examples
John Berger
English Artist
Words are so often used in the opposite sense, as a screen of diversion. It's the struggle towards truthfulness which is the same whether one is writing a poem, a novel or an argument.
Quote examples
Bo Gritz
American Soldier
I believe certain members of the U.S. Congress have aided in the oppression and diversion of critical information that could have revealed a fullness of truth long ago.
Quote examples
Martha Stewart
Entertainer
Each generation is smarter than the generation before, and they need total diversion and encouragement and things to think about.
Quote examples
George Jean Nathan
American Editor
Politics is the diversion of trivial men who, when they succeed at it, become important in the eyes of more trivial men.
Quote examples
Matthew Gray Gubler
American Actor
When I watch movies - when I watch 'Star Wars' - you want to watch the fun characters, the diversions.
Quote examples
Luciano Pavarotti
Italian Musician
Opera is a beautiful and important diversion for me.
Quote examples
Ayelet Waldman
Israeli Novelist
I did not want to raise a genetically compromised child. I did not want my children to have to contend with the massive diversion of parental attention, and the consequences of being compelled to care for their brother after I died. I wanted a genetically perfect baby, and because that was something I could control, I chose to end his life.
Quote examples
Michael Nielsen
Australian Writer
We have to overthrow the idea that it's a diversion from 'real' work when scientists conduct high-quality research in the open. Publicly funded science should be open science. Improving the way that science is done means speeding us along in curing cancer, solving the problem of climate change and launching humanity permanently into space.
Quote examples
Jeb Bush
American Politician
I really think that elected officials should be focused on how you create sustained economic growth, how do you create jobs and all of these issues that made people - segments of our society believe are really important are diversions politically.
Quote examples
George Lucas
American Director
There should be a point to movies. Sure, you're giving people a diversion from the cold world for a bit, but at the same time, you pass on some facts and rules and maybe a little bit of wisdom.
Quote examples
John Berger
English Artist
Words are so often used in the opposite sense, as a screen of diversion. It's the struggle towards truthfulness which is the same whether one is writing a poem, a novel or an argument.
Quote examples
Bo Gritz
American Soldier
I believe certain members of the U.S. Congress have aided in the oppression and diversion of critical information that could have revealed a fullness of truth long ago.
Quote examples
Martha Stewart
Entertainer
Each generation is smarter than the generation before, and they need total diversion and encouragement and things to think about.
Quote examples
George Jean Nathan
American Editor
Politics is the diversion of trivial men who, when they succeed at it, become important in the eyes of more trivial men.
Quote examples
Matthew Gray Gubler
American Actor
When I watch movies - when I watch 'Star Wars' - you want to watch the fun characters, the diversions.
Quote examples
Luciano Pavarotti
Italian Musician
Opera is a beautiful and important diversion for me.
Example 1 of 10
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