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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deflect
There will be a temptation here to opine about whether May’s decision to jilt the Wolverines after a two-year stopover is yet another sign of college athletics gone to pot, to deflect the chaos May has created and turn him into another victim of a bad system.
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Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Messi had more opportunities to score in the second half, including on shot that went wide right and deflected off Schlager’s hand, though Argentina was not awarded a corner kick on sequence.
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Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 June 2026
Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen scrambled backwards as an effort deflected off Takehiro Tomiyasu, clawing the ball off the line.
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Tomás Hill López-Menchero,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
Asked whether this is the run to an IPO, Khemani didn’t deflect.
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Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Messi had more opportunities to score in the second half, including on shot that went wide right and deflected off Schlager’s hand, though Argentina was not awarded a corner kick on sequence.
—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 June 2026
Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen scrambled backwards as an effort deflected off Takehiro Tomiyasu, clawing the ball off the line.
—
Tomás Hill López-Menchero,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
Asked whether this is the run to an IPO, Khemani didn’t deflect.
—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflect
Verb
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Atlanta experts in fitness and nutrition say the World Cup offers a rare opportunity for people to turn inspiration into action.
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The values imparted to me throughout my public school education — equal opportunity, impartial justice, respect for expertise, basic honesty — have been abandoned by a new breed of politician that has turned governance itself into a blood sport.
Verb
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Any behavior requires a coordinated action across the brain—swing a baseball bat, complete a math problem—and the more the action is repeated, the more the associated neural pathways will strengthen.
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Ryan returned the favor in the fourth, getting Dalton Rushing, Freeland and Ohtani to all swing and miss.
Verb
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The California Highway Patrol's Woodland division said traffic was being diverted off the freeway at Reed Avenue.
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Bessent did not specify how much money would be released, which entity in Qatar would control the account, where the funds would be held, what role Iran would play in directing purchases or what enforcement tools the Treasury would use to ensure the money is not diverted.
Verb
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Firefighters got out of the rig and then redirected it around the Waymo as cars stopped nearby moved to allow the firetruck to pass.
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Domestication redirected this innate wiring; dogs now view their human household as their essential group.
Verb
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Police have arrested a 22-year-old man who was caught on camera whipping a yellow taxi cab with a belt, damaging the hood, following the Knicks’ comeback victory in Game 4 of the NBA finals, officials said Friday.
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Democrats work ceaselessly to whip the American people into a frenzy of hate and conflict.
Cite this Entry
“Deflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflect. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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