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
Though the tiny asteroid posed no threat to Earth, NASA had set out to test a method of deflecting and changing the path of threatening objects hurtling toward Earth.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Fuerst beat his man and flicked the puck on net, deflecting off the underside of Moreland’s glove and into the net.
—Andrew Cornelius, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2026
Five goals down at half-time, the Azerbaijani champions were hapless and guileless, incapable of delaying or deflecting Gordon’s acceleration and utterly without attacking merit until the game was yanked far beyond them.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
According to The Planetary Society, scientists focus on deflecting an asteroid rather than destroying it.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The ladies then try to blame Amanda for deflecting her opinion about Dorit onto Kyle and getting Kyle and Dorit arguing.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
That appeared to frustrate committee members, who accused the sheriff of deflecting blame.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Eetu Luostarinen gave them a 1-0 first intermission lead by deflecting a blistering shot attempt by Rodrigues just seconds after the end of a Florida power play.
—Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
India, Pakistan's neighbouring arch rival, denied that assertion on Sunday, accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal problems.
—Reuters, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Fuerst beat his man and flicked the puck on net, deflecting off the underside of Moreland’s glove and into the net.
—Andrew Cornelius, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2026
Five goals down at half-time, the Azerbaijani champions were hapless and guileless, incapable of delaying or deflecting Gordon’s acceleration and utterly without attacking merit until the game was yanked far beyond them.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
According to The Planetary Society, scientists focus on deflecting an asteroid rather than destroying it.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The ladies then try to blame Amanda for deflecting her opinion about Dorit onto Kyle and getting Kyle and Dorit arguing.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
That appeared to frustrate committee members, who accused the sheriff of deflecting blame.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Eetu Luostarinen gave them a 1-0 first intermission lead by deflecting a blistering shot attempt by Rodrigues just seconds after the end of a Florida power play.
—Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
India, Pakistan's neighbouring arch rival, denied that assertion on Sunday, accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal problems.
—Reuters, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflecting
Verb
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There’s water everywhere, approach angles that punish the wrong side of the fairway, and a closing stretch with a long history of turning good rounds into cautionary tales.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Video later showed Good turning her wheel away from the agent who shot her.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Taylor also weighed in on keeping her cool on stage when things go wrong, such as embracing her wig flying off and whipping it around her head, the proper form for double-dutching and having patience in Hollywood.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
26 Feb. 2026
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Though both storms are similar — with a major storm system lingering over the region for over a day and whipping the region with merciless hurricane-level winds, driving inch after inch of wet snow — what made the 1978 storm so devastating was the apparent suddenness of its arrival.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That pesky point-of-attack defense is diverting drivers from the basket.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Saudi Arabia is diverting tankers to its southern Red Sea coast, while Oman’s key export terminal was evacuated over safety concerns, disrupting exports, and two tankers were hit in Iraqi waters.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Unlike most internet comparison sites that function primarily as advertising platforms, selling leads, redirecting users to third-party sites, or ranking providers based on ad spend, Compare Internet operates as an authorized retailer for nearly every ISP featured.—
Felysha Walker,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
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One of the first steps the IRS may take is redirecting any future federal tax refunds to help pay down your balance.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That shape-shifting hue laid the groundwork for a bold yet unexpectedly cohesive palette room to room, with wallpapers that lend an Art Deco flavor.—
Hannah Martin,
Architectural Digest,
13 Mar. 2026
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Austin Sanders has covered public safety in Austin for over six years, with a focus on shifting trends in policing practices, civilian oversight of law enforcement, and new developments in how cities handle emergency medical services and fire response.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflecting. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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