diversion
/dɪˈvɝ.ʒən/noun
diversion is spelled D-I-V-E-R-S-I-O-N: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 3.2 times per million words in written English, the 14,731st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, diversion means “A tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of diversion is diversions.
How many letters and syllables are in diversion?
| Letters | 9: D-I-V-E-R-S-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.2 times per million words; the 14,731st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is diversion?
Diversion appears 3.2 times per million words in written English, the 14,731st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce diversion?
- UK /daɪˈvɜː.ʃən/
- UK /daɪˈvɜː.ʒən/
- US /dɪˈvɝ.ʒən/
Diversion has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q7979-Soundguys-diversion.wav, En-us-diversion.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with diversion?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as diversion from its last stressed vowel (/ɜɹʒən/):
- version
- conversion
- Persian
- immersion
- excursion
- coercion
- aversion
- dispersion
- subversion
- perversion
- emersion
- retroversion
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of diversion
- diversions plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does diversion mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A tactic used to draw attention away from the real threat or action.
- 2
A hobby; an activity that distracts the mind.
- 3
The act of diverting.
- 4
Removal of water via a canal.
- 5
A detour, such as during road construction.
- 6
The rerouting of cargo or passengers to a new transshipment point or destination, or to a different mode of transportation before arrival at the ultimate destination.
- 7
Officially halting or suspending a formal criminal or juvenile justice proceeding and referral of the accused person to a treatment or care program.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Diversion in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | diversion , déviation |
| German | Ablenkung, Ablenkungsmanöver , Unterhaltung, Zerstreuung, Hobby |
| Portuguese | diversão |
| Spanish | distracción, diversión, despiste, despistada, destanteada, desorientación |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does diversion come from?
From Middle English diversion, dyversioun, from Medieval Latin diversiō, from Latin divertō (“to divert”); see divert.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).