deflected; deflecting; deflects
: to turn (something) aside especially from a straight course or fixed direction
armor that deflects bullets
deflecting attention from the troubled economy
deflect a question
: to turn aside : deviate
the shot deflected off the goalie's shoulder pad
Examples of deflect in a Sentence
armor that can deflect bullets
The goalie deflected the ball with his hands.
The ball deflected off the goalie's shoulder.
They are trying to deflect attention from the troubled economy.
The blame was deflected from the chairman.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kirill deflected the accusations and drove home his central demand: Ukraine must not be allowed to separate its Church from Moscow’s.
—
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
There then followed a clip of Blinken trying and failing to deflect a question over the land seizure.
—Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
His left-footed volley from outside the box deflected off a Timbers defender and into the top corner of the net.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2024
Tochi is a first-generation Nigerian-American who politely deflects requests to say something in Igbo and would make one hell of a district attorney.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
Most have stronger defenses against ship collisions than the Key Bridge had, such as more robust fender systems or larger concrete structures designed to deflect oncoming vessels, according to statements from local officials and interviews with more than a half-dozen structural engineering experts.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
And at speeds greater than 60 mph, the nominal windscreens do little to deflect the blast of air, and pilot and passenger are advised to wear goggles or a helmet.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
But instead of deflecting, Trump’s move tied him even closer to the issue by placing his political fate in the hands of judges and state lawmakers willing to go far beyond where most voters stand.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The prosecutor also argued that after the shooting, Baldwin set about constructing a false narrative that deflected responsibility onto others.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
There then followed a clip of Blinken trying and failing to deflect a question over the land seizure.
—Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
His left-footed volley from outside the box deflected off a Timbers defender and into the top corner of the net.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2024
Tochi is a first-generation Nigerian-American who politely deflects requests to say something in Igbo and would make one hell of a district attorney.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
Most have stronger defenses against ship collisions than the Key Bridge had, such as more robust fender systems or larger concrete structures designed to deflect oncoming vessels, according to statements from local officials and interviews with more than a half-dozen structural engineering experts.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
And at speeds greater than 60 mph, the nominal windscreens do little to deflect the blast of air, and pilot and passenger are advised to wear goggles or a helmet.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
But instead of deflecting, Trump’s move tied him even closer to the issue by placing his political fate in the hands of judges and state lawmakers willing to go far beyond where most voters stand.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The prosecutor also argued that after the shooting, Baldwin set about constructing a false narrative that deflected responsibility onto others.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deflect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deflect
Cite this Entry
“Deflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deflect. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deflect
verb
de·flect
di-ˈflekt 
: to turn or cause to turn aside (as from a course, direction, or position)
a bullet deflected by striking a wall
deflection
noun
-ˈflek-shən
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