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
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Recent Examples of deflects
In each case, economic performance risks becoming a rhetorical shield — one that deflects scrutiny from actions that undermine democratic norms and constitutional principles.
—
Kenneth Zagacki, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Brobbey flicks the ball into the path of Diarra, who carries it into the vacated space, before his shot deflects off Axel Tuanzebe and gives Sunderland the lead.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2026
With most Americans unhappy with the state of the economy, the president gets combative and deflects blame.
—ABC News, 21 Dec. 2025
The Earth’s magnetic field deflects most of the sun’s particles, but some enter at the poles, where interactions with our atmosphere create the aurora borealis.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Gustav frequently deflects Kemp’s requests for notes, pushing her questions back on her.
—Thomas Page, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
This is the first time the country has had a 41-year-old vice president serving alongside a 79-year-old president who routinely deflects attention from his lame-duck status by signaling his interest in serving an unconstitutional third term in office.
—Daniel Bush, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Linebacker Cole Nilles deflects a pass on second down.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
When asked about his own legacy — a question that comes up more frequently as tributes and retrospectives accumulate — Hawke deflects with characteristic self-awareness.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Kenneth Zagacki, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Brobbey flicks the ball into the path of Diarra, who carries it into the vacated space, before his shot deflects off Axel Tuanzebe and gives Sunderland the lead.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2026
With most Americans unhappy with the state of the economy, the president gets combative and deflects blame.
—ABC News, 21 Dec. 2025
The Earth’s magnetic field deflects most of the sun’s particles, but some enter at the poles, where interactions with our atmosphere create the aurora borealis.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Gustav frequently deflects Kemp’s requests for notes, pushing her questions back on her.
—Thomas Page, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
This is the first time the country has had a 41-year-old vice president serving alongside a 79-year-old president who routinely deflects attention from his lame-duck status by signaling his interest in serving an unconstitutional third term in office.
—Daniel Bush, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Linebacker Cole Nilles deflects a pass on second down.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Oct. 2025
When asked about his own legacy — a question that comes up more frequently as tributes and retrospectives accumulate — Hawke deflects with characteristic self-awareness.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflects
Verb
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Recipients aren't supposed to owe any taxes until the money is withdrawn, which can happen at any point after a child turns 18, in accordance with rules for traditional IRAs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
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Small fixes prevent messes as information-gathering Mercury turns retrograde in your 6th House of Wellness, nudging you to refine routines and rest your body and mind.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Peanut butter raises thrive when the pendulum swings to an employer’s market—but Thomas cautions bosses against playing a heavy hand.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
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One of the doors then swings open, and Leija appears holding a firearm in one hand, with the muzzle pointed outside.—
Chase Rogers,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Other recommendations included repealing any crime-free nuisance ordinances around housing, establishing an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and creating a program that diverts young people away from the justice system.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
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Curtis wants to see a more holistic conversation on how to address delays in rural communities, rather than a proviso that diverts funding from projects long in the works.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Benbrook whips Diamond Hill-Jarvis Benbrook stayed on pace for a playoff berth in District 8-4A as the Lady Bobcats thumped Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 55-7.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead of relying on heavy, mechanically complex actuators like those found on fighters such as the F-35B or Russia’s Su-37, the new system reshapes and redirects engine exhaust using purely aerodynamic surfaces.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Feb. 2026
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One hack for a small space in need of division is the Japanese noren—a room divider made from cloth that redirects the flow of a space by creating, in effect, a partition wall.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The question is now whether Novo veers into other fields like rare diseases and heart conditions.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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The second installment, which veers away significantly from Quinn's The Viscount Who Loved Me, sees Anthony caught in a good old-fashioned love triangle, with Kate's younger sister, Edwina.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflects. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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