as in to turn
to change the course or direction of (something)
the wind deflected the Frisbee just as I was about to lunge for it
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deflect
Moments after MacKinnon got hurt, Keegan Kolesar deflected a shot off the pipe, then poked the rebound past goalie Scott Wedgewood to tie the score at 3.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
The Wave fired four shots over the final seven minutes of stoppage time, but a Pride player either blocked or deflected each attempt, preventing Moorhouse from facing any real danger.
—Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2026
At the Discovery Building, however, this wasn’t possible, so Broughton instead designed a huge wind deflector that channels gusts over the roof before deflecting them down the facade, pushing snow away from the building’s base.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
He was usually found near the net, either deflecting shots or scrambling for loose pucks, putting his body on the line.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
The Wave fired four shots over the final seven minutes of stoppage time, but a Pride player either blocked or deflected each attempt, preventing Moorhouse from facing any real danger.
—Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2026
At the Discovery Building, however, this wasn’t possible, so Broughton instead designed a huge wind deflector that channels gusts over the roof before deflecting them down the facade, pushing snow away from the building’s base.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
He was usually found near the net, either deflecting shots or scrambling for loose pucks, putting his body on the line.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflect
Verb
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Davis’ ability to reflect and respond with his pithy probing of the disagreeing chord turned chaos into something cogent.—
Steven D. Reske,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
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Video from the scene showed the rollout turning into an almost ceremonial moment, as the garage stopped and watched in silence as the Chevrolet was wheeled out.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
Verb
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Arraez was then picked off and the inning was over without Schmitt getting a chance to swing the bat.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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Given Waters’ stature as a congressional representative for 35 years, Ali said, her slate mailers can swing outcomes.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Drivers were diverted around the crash during the investigation and cleanup.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
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Perhaps most notably, the annual opera program will divert from the Pacific Symphony’s traditional Verdi and Puccini Italian operatic warhorses.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
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But having begun collaborating with Gran Tierra in 2019, the foundation has now been accused of complicity in sportswashing — using football to redirect attention away from unethical activity.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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By centralizing non-differentiating capabilities and leveraging outsourcing partners for areas such as infrastructure, Omnicom can redirect resources toward proprietary platforms and client-facing technologies.—
Peter High,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The wind whipped her face and her little legs stretched higher and higher, pulling her into orbit.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
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Last month, as a steady, pre-rainy season wind whipped off the Atlantic Ocean, the sounds of samba, morna and jazz filled the streets.—
Ricci Shryock,
NPR,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflect. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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