deflecting

verb

present participle of deflect
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 deflecting Hitler escaped the full force of the blast when someone moved the briefcase next to a table leg, deflecting much of the explosive force. — ABC News, 21 July 2026 If praise arrives, accept it instead of deflecting, then point to the next milestone. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026 The ensuing chaos led to Abduvohid Nematov deflecting the ball into his own net. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026 Maryland’s political class seems all too comfortable deflecting blame onto utility providers. — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 2026 Malik Tillman stepped up and coolly scored on the free kick, his shot deflecting into the net off a Belgian player who was jumping as part of a wall. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 7 July 2026 De Ketelaere again pressured Freese, deflecting the ball back to Hans Vanaken who had an open net to shoot at. — Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 6 July 2026 The sequence started with Bosnian defender Stjepan Radeljic sliding in front of a Tillman pass, deflecting it forward toward Muharemovic. — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 The juror asked about it two more times, but Uebelhoer kept deflecting. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflecting
  1. turning
  2. whipping
  3. diverting
  4. redirecting
  5. shifting
Verb
  • But the China demand story is mostly one of extreme preparedness rather than the world’s second-largest economy turning its back on oil.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • Their fans have provided the electricity of this tournament, travelling in huge numbers, turning Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami and Dallas into oceans of blue and white.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of turning
Verb
  • The attorney questioned whether a person would be able to smell alcohol at the same time that wind generated by 18-wheelers and other vehicles whipping by on the highway was blowing, as was occurring during the officer’s time with Hampton.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • Zeus and Poseidon are at it again—one hurling thunderbolts, the other whipping the sea into a frenzy.
    — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • By still spending so much on conventional manned equipment, the United States and many other countries are diverting funds from more efficient systems.
    — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026
  • Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have ramped exports through those pipelines, diverting millions of barrels per day around Hormuz.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 16 July 2026
Definition of diverting
Verb
  • Some advocates have proposed eliminating many fines and fees altogether, or redirecting the revenue toward communities most affected by criminal justice involvement.
    — Brian Lawton, The Conversation, 22 July 2026
  • This is more than a lack of transparency; the Pentagon is taking away the ability to query actual human beings, instead redirecting journalists to an online source that is itself an obstacle to getting timely and accurate facts.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of redirecting
Verb
  • The company is seen as pivotal to bringing chip manufacturing back to American soil, following decades of it shifting to Asia.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
  • But utilities are promising investors and regulators that ratepayers won’t be stuck with AI’s tab, even as watchdogs point to cases shifting exactly those costs onto residential bills.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2026
Definition of shifting

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Cite this Entry

“Deflecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflecting. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deflecting

Nglish: Translation of deflecting for Spanish Speakers

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