DIVERSION

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does diversion mean? 

• DIVERSION (noun)
  The noun DIVERSION has 3 senses:

1. an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates

2. a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)

3. an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack

  Familiarity information: DIVERSION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DIVERSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

diversion; recreation

Context example:

drug abuse is often regarded as a form of recreation

Hypernyms ("diversion" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "diversion"):

antic; caper; joke; prank; put-on; trick (a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement)

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

caper; frolic; gambol; play; romp (gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement)

child's play; play (activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules)

interest; pastime; pursuit (a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly))

night life; nightlife (the activity of people seeking nighttime diversion (as at the theater, a nightclub, etc.))

jest; jocularity; joke (activity characterized by good humor)

game (an amusement or pastime)

gambling; gaming; play (the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize))

fun; merriment; playfulness (activities that are enjoyable or amusing)

eurhythmics; eurhythmy; eurythmics; eurythmy (the interpretation in harmonious bodily movements of the rhythm of musical compositions; used to teach musical understanding)

escape; escapism (an inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy)

escapade; lark (any carefree episode)

amusement; entertainment (an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention)

dance; dancing; saltation; terpsichore (taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music)

celebration; festivity (any joyous diversion)

bathing (immersing the body in water or sunshine)

Derivation:

divert (occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

deflection; deflexion; deviation; digression; divagation; diversion

Context example:

a deflection from his goal

Hypernyms ("diversion" is a kind of...):

turn; turning (the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "diversion"):

red herring (any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue)

Derivation:

diversionary ((of tactics e.g.) likely or designed to confuse or deceive)

diversionist (someone who commits sabotage or deliberately causes wrecks)

divert (turn aside; turn away from)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

diversion; diversionary attack

Hypernyms ("diversion" is a kind of...):

attack; onrush; onset; onslaught ((military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "diversion"):

diversionary landing (an amphibious diversionary attack)

 Context examples 

These diversions are often attended with fatal accidents, whereof great numbers are on record.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

You need a little diversion and fun from all the other matters spinning around your world, and you will receive it from the friendly new moon on March 24 in Aries at four degrees.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Activities done for the purpose of relaxation or diversion from routine work.

(Leisure Activity, NCI Thesaurus)

This would occasion a diversion in Jip's favour, and some inking of his nose, perhaps, as a penalty.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Gardening, walks, rows on the river, and flower hunts employed the fine days, and for rainy ones, they had house diversions, some old, some new, all more or less original.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

At first, the killing of the white men's dogs had been a diversion.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

They had been diversions, incidents, part of the game men play, but a small part at most.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Elizabeth would not oppose such an injunction—and a moment's consideration making her also sensible that it would be wisest to get it over as soon and as quietly as possible, she sat down again and tried to conceal, by incessant employment the feelings which were divided between distress and diversion.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Everybody around her was gay and busy, prosperous and important; each had their object of interest, their part, their dress, their favourite scene, their friends and confederates: all were finding employment in consultations and comparisons, or diversion in the playful conceits they suggested.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

One diversion of his, when we were in the midst of the herd and the sea was too rough to lower the boats, was to lower with two boat-pullers and a steerer and go out himself.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)