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
Communicate Honestly By contrast, companies that deflect responsibility or offer vague or misleading reasons for layoffs (or none at all) spark criticism that erodes trust.
—
Nicole Tidei, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
That was credited to Evander Kane at 3:28 of the third when his centering pass deflected in off Esa Lindell.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
The ball deflected off his glove for an RBI single.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2025
The military, which has ruled Pakistan for much of the country’s history, has long used hostility toward India to deflect from its own failings.
—Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deflect
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Nicole Tidei, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
That was credited to Evander Kane at 3:28 of the third when his centering pass deflected in off Esa Lindell.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
The ball deflected off his glove for an RBI single.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2025
The military, which has ruled Pakistan for much of the country’s history, has long used hostility toward India to deflect from its own failings.
—Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 23 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 9 Jun. 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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