Meaning & use

deflect

verb·Everyday

Last updated

to cause something to change direction, especially by intercepting it, or to turn aside criticism, attention, or blame.

See it in a sentence

The goalkeeper deflected the shot just wide of the post.

He tried to deflect questions about the missing funds by changing the subject.

A note on using this word

Used both literally, for physical objects, and figuratively, for avoiding blame or unwanted attention.

Words with a similar meaning

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