as in deviation
a turning away from a course or standard
a stern father who would not tolerate the slightest deflection from the strict moral code that he imposed on his children
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Recent Examples of deflection
In his two seasons under Hafley, the Packers safety snagged 10 interceptions, racked up 21 pass deflections and 195 total tackles.
—
Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Zhang conceded that from the customer side there can be subjectivity around the topic, and one person’s resolution is another’s deflection.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
He was named team MVP his senior year and finished his college career with nine interceptions and 40 pass deflections, as well as one punt return for a touchdown.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The Panthers got on the board in the opening minute of the third when Matthew Tkachuk delivered a perfect deflection from the top of the crease.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflection
Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Zhang conceded that from the customer side there can be subjectivity around the topic, and one person’s resolution is another’s deflection.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
He was named team MVP his senior year and finished his college career with nine interceptions and 40 pass deflections, as well as one punt return for a touchdown.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The Panthers got on the board in the opening minute of the third when Matthew Tkachuk delivered a perfect deflection from the top of the crease.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflection
Noun
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Even with the deviations, the MorphoScan stayed within a reasonably accurate range and provided a meaningful breakdown of my body composition.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
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In retaliation for Israel’s military incursion in Gaza, the militia began targeting ships with missile and drone strikes in 2024, forcing vessels to transit around Africa instead in a deviation that added up to 30% in transit times.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Her departure only adds to the rebuilding job head coach Mark Campbell will need to do this off-season as TCU must replace Big 12 Player of the Year Olivia Miles and first team All-Big 12 forward Marta Suarez along with starting wing Taylor Bigby.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
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Wheeler-Thomas will battle to fill the void after the departure of Dylan Andrews, who played one season for the Broncos after transferring from UCLA.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflection. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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