as in swinging
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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Recent Examples of deflecting
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
Patel sparred with multiple lawmakers during Tuesday’s contentious hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, often deflecting questions from Democrats with his own accusations of wrongdoing.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Holy Innocents’ scored the game’s only goal less than five minutes into the second half when a free kick by the Golden Bears’ Paige Jacquin found the net after deflecting off a Wesleyan player in a logjam in front of the net.
—Chip Saye, AJC.com, 13 May 2026
Berenger won’t be able to get out of this jam, though deflecting the unwanted is one of his specialties.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Slafkovský, who hadn’t scored since his hat trick in Game 1 against the Lightning, also shed some weight off his shoulders by deflecting a Hutson shot home just past the midway point of the second.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Stay present and engaged instead of deflecting.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
Rice's two-run shot came a pitch after Trent Grisham reached on a single, the ball deflecting off Leiter's glove with charging shortstop Corey Seager unable to make a barehand pickup.
—CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
During a scrum in front of the Wild’s goal, the Stars’ captain had his stick lifted by defenseman Brock Faber in a savvy move designed to keep Benn from deflecting in the go-ahead goal.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Patel sparred with multiple lawmakers during Tuesday’s contentious hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, often deflecting questions from Democrats with his own accusations of wrongdoing.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
Holy Innocents’ scored the game’s only goal less than five minutes into the second half when a free kick by the Golden Bears’ Paige Jacquin found the net after deflecting off a Wesleyan player in a logjam in front of the net.
—Chip Saye, AJC.com, 13 May 2026
Berenger won’t be able to get out of this jam, though deflecting the unwanted is one of his specialties.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Slafkovský, who hadn’t scored since his hat trick in Game 1 against the Lightning, also shed some weight off his shoulders by deflecting a Hutson shot home just past the midway point of the second.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Stay present and engaged instead of deflecting.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
Rice's two-run shot came a pitch after Trent Grisham reached on a single, the ball deflecting off Leiter's glove with charging shortstop Corey Seager unable to make a barehand pickup.
—CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
During a scrum in front of the Wild’s goal, the Stars’ captain had his stick lifted by defenseman Brock Faber in a savvy move designed to keep Benn from deflecting in the go-ahead goal.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflecting
Verb
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But surviving in absolute uncertainty, turning from somebody to nobody at the age of forty-three, and starting everything from scratch in another language, seemed an affordable price to pay compared to being paralysed with fear or having to be brave all the time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
-
Concrete dust clotted the air, turning the afternoon dark.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Now imagine seeing like half a dozen road-going glizzies whipping around one of the most iconic tracks in all of motorsports.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
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It was delivered by the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama, whose torso uncorked in a fit of frustration that sent his right elbow whipping toward Reid’s windpipe like a torpedo bat flying through the strike zone.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
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But instead of simply passing offshore, increasing numbers are now diverting into San Francisco Bay and lingering for days or even weeks inside the crowded estuary — a shift scientists increasingly link to climate change.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
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The Portland Police Association has proposed diverting 25% of the climate fund's annual revenue to hire 400 more police officers in the city.—
Monica Samayoa,
NPR,
20 May 2026
Verb
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The Russian ambassador was speaking after Ukraine blamed Russia on Tuesday for redirecting one of its drones into Estonian airspace, where a NATO jet shot it down, the latest cross-border drone incident that has caused a political uproar in the Baltic states.—
Andrea Shalal,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
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For Bezos, the fourth-richest man in the world, to be redirecting the conversation back toward policy dysfunction and government waste and away from Mamdani’s plans to hike taxes on the billionaire class, shows what a fight those ambitions will be to realize.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
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The real estate industry continues to evolve rapidly through technology and shifting markets.—
James Nelson,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflecting. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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