deflected; deflecting; deflects
: to turn (something) aside especially from a straight course or fixed direction
armor that deflects bullets
deflecting attention from the troubled economy
deflect a question
: to turn aside : deviate
the shot deflected off the goalie's shoulder pad
Examples of deflect in a Sentence
armor that can deflect bullets
The goalie deflected the ball with his hands.
The ball deflected off the goalie's shoulder.
They are trying to deflect attention from the troubled economy.
The blame was deflected from the chairman.
Recent Examples on the Web
On Monday, former Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who challenged Biden during the Democratic primary last year, accused Biden and his advisers of announcing the diagnosis to deflect from the scrutiny Biden has received in recent weeks.
—
Amie Parnes, The Hill, 21 May 2025
Salazar responded sharply to Maduro’s comments on social media, accusing him of deflecting responsibility.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
The federal investigation specifically appears to involve a report Mr. Cuomo’s administration produced later in 2020 that further infuriated victims’ families by deflecting blame for thousands of the deaths.
—Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 21 May 2025
The Suns’ latest statement falsely accuses me of filing lawsuits to extort the organization and attacks my professional record in an effort to deflect from the egregious conduct alleged by multiple former employees.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deflect
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Amie Parnes, The Hill, 21 May 2025
Salazar responded sharply to Maduro’s comments on social media, accusing him of deflecting responsibility.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
The federal investigation specifically appears to involve a report Mr. Cuomo’s administration produced later in 2020 that further infuriated victims’ families by deflecting blame for thousands of the deaths.
—Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 21 May 2025
The Suns’ latest statement falsely accuses me of filing lawsuits to extort the organization and attacks my professional record in an effort to deflect from the egregious conduct alleged by multiple former employees.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deflect
Cite this Entry
“Deflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deflect. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deflect
verb
de·flect
di-ˈflekt 
: to turn or cause to turn aside (as from a course, direction, or position)
a bullet deflected by striking a wall
deflection
noun
-ˈflek-shən
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