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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deflect
Mineral sunscreens rely on zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which deflect the sun’s rays away from the skin (like a shield).
—
Jené Luciani Sena , Caitlyn Martyn
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 28 July 2025
If the ball didn’t deflect off Lucchesi, Adames is confident the Giants would’ve turned an inning-ending double play.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2025
The golden-haired prince, wearing Denver’s golden crown, didn’t deflect the shine.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 July 2025
Trump deflected questions about Epstein by reviving claims of misconduct by Obama-era officials.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Jené Luciani Sena , Caitlyn Martyn
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 28 July 2025
If the ball didn’t deflect off Lucchesi, Adames is confident the Giants would’ve turned an inning-ending double play.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2025
The golden-haired prince, wearing Denver’s golden crown, didn’t deflect the shine.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 July 2025
Trump deflected questions about Epstein by reviving claims of misconduct by Obama-era officials.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflect
Verb
-
But now, an outdated tax rule is turning what was once a reward into a financial penalty.—
Collyn Wainwright,
The Tennessean,
22 Aug. 2025
-
National Park Service officials say there was no way to predict the Dragon Bravo Fire would turn into an inferno, jump containment lines and rip through the Grand Canyon's North Rim, leaving a historic lodge and 100 other structures in smoking ruin.—
DAILY BRIEFING,
AZCentral.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Soto, one of the generation’s best hitters, swung and missed.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
-
On Friday, the focus will swing to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which has been the home in past years of many big policy announcements from the Fed.—
Matt Ott,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The foreign ministry previously said India had begun importing oil from Russia as traditional supplies were diverted to Europe over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.—
AFP,
Fortune,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The average flight delay was an hour, as of 6:11 p.m. Two flights were canceled, 172 flights were delayed and seven flights were diverted as of 6:35 p.m., the airport's website said.—
Julie Mendes,
AZCentral.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This redirected suspicions to Johnny’s wife Chanel, who was recorded threatening EJ shortly before the incident occurred — that is, until the video was discovered to be a deepfake, at which point Johnny fired EJ as his lawyer and decided to represent himself.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
19 Aug. 2025
-
In her opening statement, Del Villar’s lawyer Marissa Goldberg tried to redirect blame in the case to a former employee.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The game is a gonzo Kojima production through and through, tonally whipping between self-serious conversations about the nature of war and patriotism, and villains who can shoot lighting from their hands or morph into a swarm of bees.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
22 Aug. 2025
-
The newest Netflix documentary will surely make viewers want to whip it good.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflect. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share