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Prepositions after verbs

Divert to or divert from?

Use divert to for a new destination or target and divert from for the original source, route, or focus being left.

Quick answer

Divert to vs. divert from

Divert to shows where something is redirected. Divert from shows the route, purpose, or source being left behind. Both patterns are standard and often appear together in the same sentence.

The flight was diverted to Madrid.
Funds were diverted from the education budget.
The discussion diverted from the main topic.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
divert to + destination

Redirecting toward a place or target

Use divert to when something is sent to a different location, purpose, or recipient.

Traffic was diverted to side streets.
The aircraft was diverted to another airport.
2
divert from + source

Moving away from an original route or purpose

Use divert from for the source, route, or activity that is abandoned or interrupted.

Money was diverted from public projects.
The speaker diverted from the prepared remarks.
3
divert attention from + topic

Shifting focus away from something

This pattern is common when talking about distraction or deliberate redirection.

The announcement diverted attention from the scandal.
The joke diverted attention from the mistake.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
divert to
The bus was diverted to a different route.
shows the new destination or direction
divert from
Resources were diverted from healthcare.
shows the original source or focus
divert attention from
The news diverted attention from the issue.
moving focus away from something
divert traffic to
Police diverted traffic to the bypass.
redirecting vehicles toward another route

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Confusing destination and source

Use to for the new direction and from for the original one.

✕ The flight was diverted from Paris. ✓ The flight was diverted to Paris.

Using divert to for the thing abandoned

From identifies what is being left or removed.

✕ Funds were diverted to education. ✓ Funds were diverted from education.

Omitting the needed second preposition

Some sentences need both from and to for full clarity.

✕ Traffic was diverted the highway side roads. ✓ Traffic was diverted from the highway to side roads.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The plane was diverted ___ Rome because of weather.
2. Money was diverted ___ road repairs.
3. The speech diverted attention ___ the main problem.

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Frequently asked questions

Can divert take both to and from in one sentence?

Yes. For example: Traffic was diverted from the bridge to a temporary road.

Is divert to used only for transport?

No. It can also refer to redirecting money, energy, attention, or resources.

What does divert from mean in conversation?

It often means moving away from a topic, plan, or expected direction.

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