deflect

deflect — verb

1. to make something move in a different direction by hitting it, or to turn aside

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to make something move in a different direction by hitting it, or to turn aside after a collision

Example

The goalkeeper managed to deflect the ball with just his fingertips.

deflect + ball in sports context

A piece of metal in Private Chen's vest deflected the bullet and saved his life.

deflect + projectile for protection

Common collocations
  • deflect a ball
  • deflect a bullet
  • deflect light
  • deflect a blow
  • deflect off a surface
Synonyms
  • divert

    broader — can mean changing use or attention, not just physical course

  • ricochet

    specifically describes bouncing off a surface, usually at an angle

  • bounce

    more general — implies coming back up after hitting a surface; deflect is more about changing direction sideways

Antonyms
  • absorb

    to take in the force of something rather than sending it elsewhere

Grammar Patterns

deflect + object (transitive)

deflect (intransitive, often + off/from)

Usage Note

Common in sports reporting and physics contexts. The intransitive use is frequent, often paired with 'off' ('the ball deflected off the post').

Common Mistakes

The ball deflected the wall.
The ball deflected off the wall.
When describing the ball's own change in direction, use 'off' to name the object it hit.
The mirror deflected the light.
The mirror reflected the light.
'Reflect' means to send back light or an image; 'deflect' means to change course, not necessarily back toward the source.

2. to persuade or force someone to abandon a planned course of action

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to persuade or force someone to abandon a planned course of action

Example

Nothing could deflect Jiwoo from her goal of becoming a doctor.

deflect + from + noun phrase (goal)

The principal tried to deflect Tamás from his plan to leave school early.

deflect + from + noun phrase (plan)

Common collocations
  • deflect someone from a goal
  • deflect someone from a plan
  • deflect someone from doing something
Synonyms
  • deter

    stronger — suggests creating fear or doubt to stop someone

  • discourage

    softer — makes someone less willing, not necessarily stopping them entirely

  • dissuade

    more formal; focuses on persuading someone not to act

Antonyms
  • encourage

    to give support or confidence to someone to keep going

  • motivate

    to provide a reason for someone to act

Grammar Patterns

deflect + somebody + from + noun/-ing

Usage Note

Typically followed by 'from' and either a noun ('goal', 'plan', 'path') or a gerund ('doing something'). The subject is usually an external force — criticism, opposition, offers — rather than a physical obstacle.

Common Mistakes

She deflected him to drop the class.
She deflected him from dropping the class.
The correct pattern is 'deflect someone from doing something', not 'to do something'.

3. to prevent criticism, blame, or difficult questions from reaching or affecting y

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to prevent criticism, blame, or difficult questions from reaching or affecting you

Example

The company director tried to deflect questions about the failed project.

deflect + questions

Felix tried to deflect the criticism by changing the subject whenever the error came up.

deflect criticism by changing topic

Common collocations
  • deflect criticism
  • deflect blame
  • deflect questions
  • deflect attention
  • deflect scrutiny
Synonyms
  • avoid

    more general; does not specify how the person keeps something away

  • dodge

    more informal; suggests quick, clever movement to escape something

  • evade

    suggests skill or cunning in escaping something unwanted

Antonyms
  • face

    to deal with something directly rather than avoiding it

  • welcome

    to accept something such as questions or criticism openly

Grammar Patterns

deflect + noun (criticism, blame, questions, attention)

Usage Note

The object is typically an abstract noun such as 'criticism', 'blame', 'questions', 'scrutiny', or 'attention'. The person who deflects keeps the unwanted thing away from themselves without necessarily naming someone else.

Common Mistakes

She deflected the report about the mistake.
She deflected questions about the mistake.
You deflect the attention or criticism directed at something, not the thing itself.

4. to redirect blame or criticism towards someone else in order to avoid personal r

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to redirect blame or criticism towards someone else in order to avoid personal responsibility

Example

Instead of admitting his mistake, Rafael deflected the blame onto his teammate.

pattern: deflect + onto + someone

After the budget was leaked, Maeve deflected the blame onto the newest member of her team.

pattern: deflect + blame + onto + person

Common collocations
  • deflect blame onto
  • deflect responsibility onto
  • deflect criticism onto
Synonyms
  • shift

    more general; can be neutral ('shift the discussion')

  • divert

    can mean redirecting attention or resources, not only blame

  • pass the buck

    informal idiom specific to shifting responsibility

Antonyms
  • accept

    to take responsibility willingly

  • own

    informal; to admit and take responsibility for one's actions

Grammar Patterns

deflect + noun + onto + noun (someone else)

Usage Note

Often occurs in the pattern 'deflect something onto someone'. Unlike sense 3, this sense involves actively naming or targeting another person or group as the responsible party. Common in political debates and workplace conflicts.

Common Mistakes

She deflected her mistake to her assistant.
She deflected the blame for her mistake onto her assistant.
You deflect 'blame' or 'responsibility', not the mistake itself, and the target is introduced with 'onto'.

Word family

  • deflection
    nounB2
  • deflective
    adjectiveC1
  • deflector
    nounC1
  • deflectable
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe a change in direction, but with different mechanics. 'Deflect' typically implies hitting a surface and turning aside as a result — the goalkeeper deflects the ball with his fingertips. 'Divert' is broader: it can mean changing the course of something without contact (divert traffic, divert funds) and extends to attention or purpose. 'Ricochet' specifically means bouncing off a surface at an angle, usually involving multiple bounces (the bullet ricocheted off the wall). 'Bounce' suggests returning upward or back after hitting a surface (the ball bounced once before he caught it). 'Veer' describes a sudden swerve without requiring an impact (the car veered off the road). For physical collision contexts, 'deflect' is the most precise when the object is redirected rather than simply sent back or stopped.

deflect ↗divert ↗ricochet ↗bounce ↗veer

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • deflect attention away from
  • deflect blame onto someone
  • deflect questions about

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'deflectere', a combination of 'de-' (meaning 'away, down from') and 'flectere' (meaning 'to bend'). The original sense was purely physical — to bend something away from its path. English adopted it in the mid-1500s with the same physical sense, and by the 1600s it had already developed figurative meanings related to turning aside blame or influence.