as in to turn
to change the course or direction of (something)
the wind deflected the Frisbee just as I was about to lunge for it
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of deflect
Olivera then one-timed a hard right-footed shot that deflected off Whitecaps keeper Yohei Takaoka into the roof of the net.
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Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
And determining the exact composition of the double-asteroid system, as well as the consequences of the DART mission, could help space agencies further refine the technology that could deflect asteroids from affecting Earth in the future.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024
In one instance, a man survived a gunshot only due to his pocket watch deflecting the bullet, while another joined the Union army after deserting the Confederacy.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
Trump, meanwhile, spent Wednesday painting Harris and Democrats as divisive, while deflecting criticism of his own xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deflect 
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
And determining the exact composition of the double-asteroid system, as well as the consequences of the DART mission, could help space agencies further refine the technology that could deflect asteroids from affecting Earth in the future.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024
In one instance, a man survived a gunshot only due to his pocket watch deflecting the bullet, while another joined the Union army after deserting the Confederacy.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
Trump, meanwhile, spent Wednesday painting Harris and Democrats as divisive, while deflecting criticism of his own xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deflect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflect
Verb
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Palm Springs hated his AIDS memorial design, but the artist turned the debacle into redemption.Alyssa Bereznak, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
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As temperatures are actually starting to turn, this Black Friday clothing sale couldn’t come at a better time for those of us who weren’t prepared to face the elements.Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The doors will soon swing open for a new doughnut shop in town when Parlor Doughnuts holds its grand opening in Jeffersonville.Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 20 Nov. 2024
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The Piano Lesson: Take away the ghost stuff and focus on the fact that Malcolm Washington’s adaptation of the August Wilson play celebrates and uplifts Black women, the one demographic that pointedly did not swing to the right this year.Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Syrian government authorities diverted traffic from that highway Thursday.SARAH EL DEEB THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024
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Syrian government authorities had diverted traffic from that highway Thursday.Sarah el Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
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This approach allows the edge to handle local processing during connectivity issues, ensuring the wider network can redirect and manage tasks to maintain operations, even if parts are compromised.Jo Debecker, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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For example, clicking malicious links can redirect you to harmful websites that either steal personal information or infect your device with malware.Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Available in 21 colors, the mixer has 10 speeds to knead, whip, and stir ingredients for bread, baked goods, pizza dough, and more.Kaitlin Gates, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2024
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Add the honey, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cream; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish.Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 20 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Deflect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflect. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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