How to pronounce diversion
Say it like dy-VUR-zhun. Diversion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce diversion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dy
- VUR
- zhun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Diversion pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dyKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- VURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- zhunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of diversion
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: dy-VUR-shun.
What does diversion mean?
- an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates“scuba diving is provided as a diversion for tourists”“for recreation he wrote poetry and solved crossword puzzles”
- a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)“a diversion from the main highway”“a digression into irrelevant details”
- an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack
Where does diversion come from?
From Middle English diversion, dyversioun, from Medieval Latin diversiō, from Latin divertō (“to divert”); see divert.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with diversion
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of diversion.
Questions about saying diversion
How do you pronounce diversion?
Say dy-VUR-zhun. The American pronunciation is /daɪˈvɝʒən/. In British English it is /daɪˈvɜːʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in diversion?
Diversion has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (VUR). Broken into parts: dy · VUR · zhun.
Is diversion pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /daɪˈvɜːʃən/ (dy-VUR-shun).