as in swinging
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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Recent Examples of deflecting
The ladies then try to blame Amanda for deflecting her opinion about Dorit onto Kyle and getting Kyle and Dorit arguing.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
That appeared to frustrate committee members, who accused the sheriff of deflecting blame.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
The second steal — deflecting a bounce pass with 68 seconds left in the third quarter, diving to the ground to force a jump ball and then creating a viral photo of herself clutching the ball while lying on the court and flashing a 1,000-kilowatt smile — was her school-record 347th swipe.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
Eetu Luostarinen gave them a 1-0 first intermission lead by deflecting a blistering shot attempt by Rodrigues just seconds after the end of a Florida power play.
—Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
India, Pakistan's neighbouring arch rival, denied that assertion on Sunday, accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal problems.
—Reuters, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Eclipses across your astrological axis (Virgo-Pisces) activate themes of independence versus commitment, asking you to honor your devotions without deflecting.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Crosby struck 15 seconds after that, deflecting a pass from the slot into the net.
—CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
His 200th career goal came with hulking Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns draped all over him, but still unable to stop a Zeev Buium pass from deflecting off Kaprizov and past Wedgewood for the equalizer.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 28 Nov. 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
That appeared to frustrate committee members, who accused the sheriff of deflecting blame.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
The second steal — deflecting a bounce pass with 68 seconds left in the third quarter, diving to the ground to force a jump ball and then creating a viral photo of herself clutching the ball while lying on the court and flashing a 1,000-kilowatt smile — was her school-record 347th swipe.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
Eetu Luostarinen gave them a 1-0 first intermission lead by deflecting a blistering shot attempt by Rodrigues just seconds after the end of a Florida power play.
—Adam Beasley, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
India, Pakistan's neighbouring arch rival, denied that assertion on Sunday, accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal problems.
—Reuters, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Eclipses across your astrological axis (Virgo-Pisces) activate themes of independence versus commitment, asking you to honor your devotions without deflecting.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Crosby struck 15 seconds after that, deflecting a pass from the slot into the net.
—CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
His 200th career goal came with hulking Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns draped all over him, but still unable to stop a Zeev Buium pass from deflecting off Kaprizov and past Wedgewood for the equalizer.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflecting
Verb
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The program has focused on turning waste into artwork while raising awareness about how much plastic the community throws away.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
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King then collided with the passenger side of 2015 GMC Terrain, which was headed north on Missouri 291 and turning west into a shopping center at Elizabeth Street, Mulch said.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Before Katherine LaNasa was whipping the ER into shape as Nurse Dana on The Pitt, the actress made a memorable impression on Seinfeld viewers.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
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Legacy of Monsters, complete with a monster tail whipping across half the room.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Do was sentenced in June 2025 to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of accepting more than $800,000 in bribes in exchange for diverting $10 million in pandemic relief money, mostly to a nonprofit that employed his daughter.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
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Ocean carriers began diverting their vessels around southern Africa at the start of the crisis, when Houthi militants based out of Yemen started launching missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This will allow sunlight to penetrate and airflow to circulate, redirecting the tree's energy to new growth.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
9 Feb. 2026
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In 2022, Allen addressed the potential sale of the Trail Blazers and Seahawks, shaking off rumors and instead, redirecting attention to her commitment to victory.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Set inside the world’s most popular video game, the film imagines a next-gen AI system that allows in-game characters to become sentient, shifting the game from entertainment into a living universe that awakens, evolves and begins interacting with human beings.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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To his credit, the filmmaker handles this dark material with considerable showmanship, shifting from the most striking chiaroscuro black-and-white to bursts of near-garish technicolor, giving each grim coda a distinct visual texture.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflecting. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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