as in swung
to change the course or direction of (something)
the wind deflected the Frisbee just as I was about to lunge for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deflected
LaCombe’s pass across set up a Carlson one-timer that deflected off Viel, who dove and knocked in the loose puck for his second postseason goal.
—
Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026
Asked at the start of the seventh round if the Patriots had spoken with Vrabel, vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden deflected saying the team wanted to keep the specifics of those interactions in-house.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Minnesota pulled even when Brock Faber’s shot from the blue line hit Dallas defender Miro Heiskanen and deflected past the goalie.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Boldy deflected a shot from captain Jared Spurgeon past Oettinger for his first career playoff OT goal.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Kempe deflected Panarin’s low-flying shot upward and inside the right post for his first playoff goal after leading the Kings during the season.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Jacques scored when a clearing attempt from a Toronto defender deflected off him at the corner of the 18-yard box and went into the goal.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
While Smith tactfully deflected that question, Church and other supporters would like to see a portion of the downtown building used for a larger display of his work.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
This referred to the fact that the Cyg X-1 jets seemed to be getting deflected in different directions as the star and black hole orbited each other.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026
Asked at the start of the seventh round if the Patriots had spoken with Vrabel, vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden deflected saying the team wanted to keep the specifics of those interactions in-house.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Minnesota pulled even when Brock Faber’s shot from the blue line hit Dallas defender Miro Heiskanen and deflected past the goalie.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Boldy deflected a shot from captain Jared Spurgeon past Oettinger for his first career playoff OT goal.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Kempe deflected Panarin’s low-flying shot upward and inside the right post for his first playoff goal after leading the Kings during the season.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Jacques scored when a clearing attempt from a Toronto defender deflected off him at the corner of the 18-yard box and went into the goal.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
While Smith tactfully deflected that question, Church and other supporters would like to see a portion of the downtown building used for a larger display of his work.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
This referred to the fact that the Cyg X-1 jets seemed to be getting deflected in different directions as the star and black hole orbited each other.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deflected
Verb
-
The game swung on these knife-edge moments, but the actual performance levels were similar from both teams.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
But as the ball swung around the perimeter, opportunities arose for the likes of Dosunmu and McDaniels to crack the paint off the bounce.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Knueppel, who was a one-and-done at Duke just like Flagg but turned 20 before his NBA career started, became the first rookie to lead the league in 3-pointers with 273.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Butajevas, who turned 19 on March 27, arrives to coach Todd Golden’s team with a prototypical European skill set at nearly 6-foot-10.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Emery had been incessant in wanting shorter, faster balls from his deeper players, with Villa’s best opportunity of the afternoon stemming from brave passing in combination in the first half, coaxing Fulham onto them before John McGinn whipped a ball into the space behind.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Many in the room whipped out their cameras to start filming, and made the rounds to glean and share details.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shortly thereafter, all of the engineering and technological work that had been devoted to the development of television since the mid-1920s was diverted to military purposes to support the war effort.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Police say traffic in the area has been diverted.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, if a job ends near this time, you're being redirected to a new position elsewhere or a fresh career path altogether.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Motown Records redirected American pop away from its white-centric rock ’n’ roll course, and Smokey Robinson was central to that era-defining mission.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deflected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deflected. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
