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
  • The money can’t be accessed until the child turns 18, and only then for specific purposes, such as going to school, opening a business or buying a home.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • Whereas a proper pull-up requires an overhand grip, swapping to an underhand hold turns the exercise into what less strenuous alternative?
    — Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of turns
Verb
  • Carried by a supreme cast including Demet Özdemir, Kaan Yildirim, İlhan Şen, and Sarp Bozkurt, the film swings between belief, hope, and dissolution.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 July 2026
  • When Roman LeVine, 7, eagerly swings at a water balloon, his mom Nicole LeVine pauses to take a video.
    — Lynda Lin Grigsby, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of swings
Verb
  • Her peer on the city payroll diverts up to 9% of every paycheck into funds paying today’s retirees — even though those funds’ ability to pay her own retirement is in doubt.
    — Stuart Loren, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
  • Where the film diverts from the norm lies in the unique, complicated characters and their weird, tortured even touching relationships.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 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 keeps flowers from using energy to go to seed, and redirects it toward more growth.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 8 July 2026
  • This landmark judgment preserves core American self-governance and redirects future immigration policy discussions to Congress and voters.
    — Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of redirects
Verb
  • Instead, Orton leans into the immersive, dreamy sounds of Weather Alive to craft a new album that veers more closely toward late-night jazz clubs than music for the spacey set.
    — David Harris, SPIN, 29 June 2026
  • That last flavor is augmented by the whiskey’s higher proof, which veers toward burn but pulls back at the last minute.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 June 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 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deflects

Nglish: Translation of deflects for Spanish Speakers

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