as in to turn
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deflect
Plata then passes the ball to Araujo… … who tries to find Lucas’ third-man run, but the ball deflects off Gusto…
… and Flamengo’s centre-forward does the job.
—
Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Pickett’s through ball found Banda free in space, who then dribbled into the box and fired off a shot that deflected off two defenders before nestling in the back of the net.
—Compiled From Wire Reports, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Luna had two assists, one of which was a shot deflected into the net by a teammate.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Reinhart’s second goal was deflected off his skate on a sweet pass from in close by Barkov.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Pickett’s through ball found Banda free in space, who then dribbled into the box and fired off a shot that deflected off two defenders before nestling in the back of the net.
—Compiled From Wire Reports, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Luna had two assists, one of which was a shot deflected into the net by a teammate.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Reinhart’s second goal was deflected off his skate on a sweet pass from in close by Barkov.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflect
Verb
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By 1913 Henry Ford’s moving-belt assembly line cut build time to 93 minutes, and cheap Texas oil kept the tank full, turning personal mobility from luxury to the default setting.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
22 June 2025
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And proves once again that Southerners can turn almost anything into a dip.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
22 June 2025
Verb
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Jessica Alba and her 17-year-old daughter Honor swung by Wimbledon on their way back from Venice, Italy, where the pair attended the Bezos-Sánchez wedding.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
30 June 2025
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Anyone hankering for a Beaver Nugget break on their travels can swing by the new spot, which is located right off I-81 in Rockingham County.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Severe weather conditions in the area led to ground stops and flights being diverted at the airport on Friday.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
28 June 2025
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Sharing surplus meals through community apps like Too Good To Go helps to address food insecurity while diverting food from landfills.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Cons: Some roles redirect to external sites, and there are occasional off-target matches.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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Public input does prompt the county to redirect money toward services and programs.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 June 2025
Verb
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The San Diego native whipped a low cross into the box, which both Adriana Leon and Ascanio narrowly missed.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
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Chelsea took the lead on 13 minutes when Neto raced away from deep inside the Flamengo half and opened his body before whipping the ball past Agustin Rossi.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflect. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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