deflects

verb

present tense third-person singular of deflect
as in turns
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 deflects Because the unexpected droppers have created confusion, however, QB Matthew Stafford throws a pass that deflects off Spillane and is intercepted. — Mike Defabo, New York Times, 15 July 2026 Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026 Root deflects credit for its hilarity. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026 My aunt is easily offended and deflects any criticism, while my dad avoids confrontation at any cost. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 11 June 2026 Christian therapists now widely condemn this as spiritual gaslighting that deflects accountability and compounds trauma. — Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026 But Herb deflects any praise that comes his way. — Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026 Takyiwaa Manuh, an emerita professor at the University of Ghana, argues that targeting the LGBTQ community deflects attention from issues of poor governance. — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026 Yas deflects her concerns as naivete. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflects
  1. turns
  2. swings
  3. diverts
  4. whips
  5. redirects
  6. veers
Verb
  • These events occur when extremely hot underground water suddenly turns into steam, expands, and blasts apart the surrounding rock.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Find out what the bill does when one workflow triples its tool calls after a model upgrade, because that is the scenario that turns a modest platform fee into a line item the CFO wants explained.
    — Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of turns
Verb
  • The gondola swings back and forth and ‘swims’ when Sepp gets agitated.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
  • And when a guy swings and misses and gets thrown out by 10 feet, that’s a bad process.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of swings
Verb
  • The attempt by former HFPA members to leverage the Golden Globe Foundation, an independent nonprofit, simply to secure Golden Globes tickets is an unfortunate distraction that inappropriately diverts resources from legitimate charitable causes.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 July 2026
  • An Israeli military official said such violence by Israelis diverts the defense force’s attention from its primary mission of defense and counterterrorism in a complex environment.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 27 July 2026
Definition of diverts
Verb
  • Instead of floating crosses in, Saka either whips his deliveries low near the six-yard box or works a slightly more central position to cut the ball back with a firmer connection.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • Deadheading peonies redirects energy to root growth, improving plant health and future blooms.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 31 July 2026
  • Time saved is only potential value until leadership redirects it toward a measurable outcome.
    — Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of redirects
Verb
  • That's exactly the mindset incident response leaders need when an incident veers off script from the playbook.
    — David Etue, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the abundance of berries, the fragrance never veers into the medicinal territory that cherry can sometimes take on.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 31 July 2026
Definition of veers

Browse Nearby Words

deflections
deflects
defoliate
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Cite this Entry

“Deflects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflects. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deflects

Nglish: Translation of deflects for Spanish Speakers

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