as in swung
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
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Recent Examples of deflected
For each handball, the ball first deflected from the body of, respectively, Bayern’s Alphonso Davies and Arsenal’s Ben White before contacting an arm which was not held tight to the side of their bodies.
—
ABC News, 4 May 2026
Hampus Lindholm collected it and sent a blind backhand pass back to David Pastrnak at the blue line that Josh Doan got his stick on and deflected it out of the zone.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026
But Minnesota tied things back up less than a minute later, when Tarasenko backhanded a shot into a yawning net with the Dallas goalie pulled out of position when Hughes’ shot was deflected at the other side of the crease.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
In the top of the 10th inning, with Drew Gilbert as the automatic runner on second, Ramos led off with a groundball single that deflected off second baseman Bryson Stott’s glove.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Hughes, acquired from Vancouver in December in the biggest trade in franchise history, took a shot from the left dot that deflected off the skate of Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubshkin and past goalie Jake Oettinger.
—CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
LaCombe’s pass across set up a Carlson one-timer that deflected off Viel, who dove and knocked in the loose puck for his second postseason goal.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026
Boldy deflected a shot from captain Jared Spurgeon past Oettinger for his first career playoff OT goal.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Kempe deflected Panarin’s low-flying shot upward and inside the right post for his first playoff goal after leading the Kings during the season.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 4 May 2026
Hampus Lindholm collected it and sent a blind backhand pass back to David Pastrnak at the blue line that Josh Doan got his stick on and deflected it out of the zone.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 2 May 2026
But Minnesota tied things back up less than a minute later, when Tarasenko backhanded a shot into a yawning net with the Dallas goalie pulled out of position when Hughes’ shot was deflected at the other side of the crease.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
In the top of the 10th inning, with Drew Gilbert as the automatic runner on second, Ramos led off with a groundball single that deflected off second baseman Bryson Stott’s glove.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Hughes, acquired from Vancouver in December in the biggest trade in franchise history, took a shot from the left dot that deflected off the skate of Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubshkin and past goalie Jake Oettinger.
—CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
LaCombe’s pass across set up a Carlson one-timer that deflected off Viel, who dove and knocked in the loose puck for his second postseason goal.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026
Boldy deflected a shot from captain Jared Spurgeon past Oettinger for his first career playoff OT goal.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Kempe deflected Panarin’s low-flying shot upward and inside the right post for his first playoff goal after leading the Kings during the season.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflected
Verb
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The Blue Jays swung at just 18% of Detmers’ pitches that were out of the zone.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
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Before Denver swung a blockbuster trade for star receiver Jaylen Waddle.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Verb
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What could’ve turned into a game of foul trouble and interruptions instead turned into a game Brunson controlled anyway.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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Doja Cat turned herself into a work of art in head-to-toe Saint Laurent to attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2026 Met Gala in New York City on Monday.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The guy next to me whipped out his phone and zoomed in on the back of the king’s head.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
30 Apr. 2026
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Emery had been incessant in wanting shorter, faster balls from his deeper players, with Villa’s best opportunity of the afternoon stemming from brave passing in combination in the first half, coaxing Fulham onto them before John McGinn whipped a ball into the space behind.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Minnesota Attorney General's Office said a temporary restraining order is in place to protect the nonprofit assets from being diverted.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
Traffic was being diverted onto Blackwell Road.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Sometimes it’s measured in lives redirected.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
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In Colorado, this has already redirected $900 million from highway expansion toward bus rapid transit.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflected. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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