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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 But his actions here — deflecting accountability, being vague yet defensive about his own politics — and his history with Kraft suggest his sympathies might not lie with the causes his opening acts stand for. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Such a response is contrary to my intent of deflecting attention away from the subject. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026 Rather than simply reducing opponents’ health, players seek to break opponents’ posture by precisely deflecting and countering attacks. — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026 The former Carolina Panthers linebacker spent his 15 minutes deflecting credit and thanking others, showering dozens of people from his life with praise. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Aug. 2026 The architects used building materials like bricks made of crushed sand and ash residue that have been found to be effective insulators, deflecting heat. — Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 This gap, if unaddressed, sabotages growth by deflecting feedback, creating imbalanced traits, and causing behavioral drift under pressure, negatively impacting teams. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflecting
  1. turning
  2. whipping
  3. diverting
  4. redirecting
  5. shifting
Verb
  • Before turning it into a judgment about your abilities, notice what specifically bothered you.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Give the moment enough room to be ordinary before turning it into a conclusion about yourself.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of turning
Verb
  • Goalkeeper Emi Martinez floated a ball over Ezri Konsa to Rogers, who exchanged passes with Joao Pedro before shifting sharply onto his right foot and whipping a shot just wide of David Raya’s far post.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Stand mixers are the best choice for things like kneading bread dough, whipping egg whites and mixing cookies, but blenders are best for breaking down more substantial foods to create beautifully smooth purees.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Ryan plays Carla Russo, a veteran nurse at Yale Fertility Center who pleads guilty to diverting vast amounts of fentanyl and diluting it with saline, forcing many patients to endure egg-retrieval surgery without anesthesia.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The bill calls for diverting 60% of the city's garbage from landfills and incineration over the next 20 years.
    — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of diverting
Verb
  • Macklemore is redirecting the conversation surrounding his Ed Sheeran tour controversy.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2026
  • On Thursday, an older gentleman started at the sign with a green arrow redirecting patrons on the post-construction path.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of redirecting
Verb
  • The announcements came at Meta Connect 2026 as the company continues shifting its wearable strategy toward glasses and its personal AI agent, Muse.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Then came a quieter reaction—people shifting in their seats, glancing at one another, going still in a way that had nothing to do with boredom.
    — Julian De Freitas, Harvard Business Review, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of shifting

Browse Nearby Words

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deflecting
deflection
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Cite this Entry

“Deflecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflecting. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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