divert

Verb

Verb Forms: diverted, diverting, diverts

To turn from a course or purpose; to amuse.
turn aside; turn away from
send on a course or in a direction different from the planned or intended one
occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
withdraw (money) and move into a different location, often secretly and with dishonest intentions
To turn aside from a course.
To distract.
To entertain or amuse (by diverting the attention)
To turn aside; to digress.

Examples

Don't let him divert your attention; keep your eye on the ball.
He tried to DIVERT his opponent’s attention from the triple word score with casual conversation.
The workers diverted the stream away from the road.

Origin / Etymology

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.

Synonyms

amuse, deviate, disport, hive off, offlead

Scrabble Score: 10

divert: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
divert: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
divert: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 11

divert: valid Words With Friends Word