Meaning & use
deflection
Last updated
The act of turning something aside from its original course, or an avoidance of directly responding to a question or criticism.
See it in a sentence
The goalkeeper's deflection saved the team from conceding a goal.
His answer was pure deflection, avoiding the real issue entirely.
A note on using this word
Widely used in physics for the bending of light or particles, and in everyday speech for evasive behavior in conversation.
Words with a similar meaning
diversionavoidance
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
directness
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