deflect

verb
UK: /dɪˈflekt/
US: /dɪˈflekt/

  1. To cause something to change direction, usually because it hits something.

    1. The shield will deflect the rocks that fall on it.
    2. The politician tried to deflect criticism by blaming the previous administration.

  2. To avoid something, such as questions or attention, especially in a skillful way.

    1. She tried to deflect the interviewer's personal questions.
    2. He deftly deflected blame onto his colleagues, avoiding any personal responsibility.

Synonyms

repel avert divert ward off parry avoid evade shun
deflect transitive-verb

  1. To turn aside or cause to turn aside; to deviate from a straight course or fixed direction.

    1. The ball deflected off the wall and went out of bounds.
    2. Her attention was deflected by a sudden noise from the television nearby.
deflect intransitive-verb

  1. To turn aside from a course; deviate.

    1. The river deflected to the east.
    2. The conversation deflected to other topics when John entered the room.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "deflect" in English means: To cause something to change direction, usually because it hits something., To avoid something, such as questions or attention, especially in a skillful way..

The phonetic transcription of "deflect" is /dɪˈflekt/ in British English and /dɪˈflekt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "deflect": repel, avert, divert, ward off, parry, avoid, evade, shun.

Example usage of "deflect": "The shield will deflect the rocks that fall on it.". More examples on the page.