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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 This imaging works by measuring how rock deflects the cosmic particles flying at these objects. — Jesse Liu, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026 Ted deflects the questions, but the friendly encounter only seems to make Alice dig in. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 Calhoun, a defensive back, deflects a last-second two-point conversion pass with a fingertip and UM beats Nebraska, 31-30, for its first of five national championships. — Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflects
  1. turns
  2. swings
  3. diverts
  4. whips
  5. redirects
  6. veers
Verb
  • Nancy, who turns 49 in December, gets how to fire up the SEC base.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • When the Farmer destroys the flock’s beloved pumpkin patch, Shaun turns mad scientist to fix the problem, only for events to spiral out of control as a wild beast roams the woods of Mossingham.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of turns
Verb
  • Without a buffer, the operation swings violently with every external event.
    — Nilton Bernini, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Rahaf swings her prosthetics to the song, and at one point, wraps her small arms around Accurso’s neck — following the song’s instructions and pretending to be asleep.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of swings
Verb
  • Instead, your body diverts its limited calories elsewhere, pushing hair follicles into a two- to four-month resting phase before hair eventually sheds.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Blocking one chokepoint diverts traffic to others, congesting alternatives.
    — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of diverts
Verb
  • Bertha whips Bridget for inspiring uncomfortable feelings in her.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of whips
Verb
  • Goddard’s diminution is part of a broader pivot at NASA as the White House redirects the space agency to put American astronauts on the moon by 2028.
    — Eric Niiler, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
  • By this time next year, Baltimore could have a brand-new system that redirects non-violent emergency calls to mental health professionals.
    — Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of redirects
Verb
  • Steeped in a deep value investment philosophy that often veers toward the contrarian, the tough housing environment could provide rich targets for Berkshire, which sat on a war chest of some $367 billion at the end of June.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
  • At this point, the movie veers off the rails a bit, culminating in a very bloody conclusion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 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 26 Sep. 2026.

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