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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflecting
  1. turning
  2. whipping
  3. diverting
  4. redirecting
  5. shifting
Verb
  • Chip giant Nvidia is eyeing the possibility of turning its artificial intelligence chips into Wall Street's newest asset class.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Clear terms keep care from turning into confusion later on today.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of turning
Verb
  • He’s spent the last week whipping senators to support it and even enlisted former Alabama football coach Nick Saban to dial up undecided lawmakers, according to people familiar with the matter.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Battered cars with numbers sprayed on their sides are whipping around the dirt track of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, loose fenders flopping like overgrown bangs in the swirling dust.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Beginning Thursday, the Fort Worth Fire Department has been diverting ambulances carrying patients with trauma, strokes and STEMI heart attacks to other hospitals, according to Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Most of the townships were diverting those funds to the road district.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of diverting
Verb
  • Reacher explodes into action, kicking over a table, executing a backward roll into the guy behind him while handcuffed, then redirecting that guy’s tranq gun against the other Men in Black.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
  • International games further complicate this financial landscape, redirecting tax obligations.
    — Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of redirecting
Verb
  • And constantly shifting that on set with all of the characters.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Youthful ambition bequeathed them unpredictably shifting time signatures, a daunting nylon-string intro, some odd musical shifts during the guitar-solo section, and a long list of other complexities.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 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 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deflecting

Nglish: Translation of deflecting for Spanish Speakers

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