as in deviation
a turning away from a course or standard
a stern father who would not tolerate the slightest deflection from the strict moral code that he imposed on his children
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Recent Examples of deflection
Carmel 18-7 (2) Playing more and more minutes, freshman Ada Lindal posts seven points, five rebounds, four assists, eight deflections and four steals in the Corsairs’ win over Joliet Catholic.
—
Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Texas finished with 37 deflections and four kills, a reflection of intensity and effort.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Texas picked it up in the second half and finished with 37 deflections and four kills — a kill represents three consecutive defensive stops — to stymie a Bulldogs team that had won four of its last five games on the road.
—Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026
The goal came on a deflection when the B’s were down 6-0 late in the third period.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflection
Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Texas finished with 37 deflections and four kills, a reflection of intensity and effort.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Texas picked it up in the second half and finished with 37 deflections and four kills — a kill represents three consecutive defensive stops — to stymie a Bulldogs team that had won four of its last five games on the road.
—Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026
The goal came on a deflection when the B’s were down 6-0 late in the third period.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deflection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflection
Noun
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Men’s football continues to be dominated by a hegemonic masculinity that punishes any deviation from the norm.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio.—
Amanda Luberto,
AZCentral.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For now, the agency still represents other A-list talent including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay and Tyler, the Creator, though many in the industry suspect a wave of departures is coming.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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Her answer is a departure in terms of how publicly it was stated.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflection. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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