deflection

deflection — noun

1. a movement away from a straight path that happens when something hits an object,

1.nounB2
Definition

a movement away from a straight path that happens when something hits an object, or the action of making something move in a new direction

Example

The tennis ball hit the net post and took a sharp deflection into the stands.

take a [adj] deflection into [place]

Engineers tested the bridge material's ability to withstand deflection under heavy winds.

withstand deflection under [condition]

Common collocations
  • angle of deflection
  • deflection angle
  • take a deflection
  • deflection off [object]
  • wind deflection
  • bullet deflection
Synonyms
  • deviation

    more formal; suggests a planned or systematic departure from a course rather than a sudden impact

  • swerve

    implies a controlled or intentional sideways movement, unlike deflection which is usually caused by an external object

  • turn

    more general; does not carry the implication of a collision or impact

Usage Note

Common in sports (ball games, billiards, football) and physics (light, gravity, projectiles). In sports contexts, a deflection often changes the expected outcome of a play.

Common Mistakes

The ball made a deflection off the wall.
The ball took a deflection off the wall.
'take a deflection' is the standard collocation, not 'make a deflection'.

2. words or actions intended to stop criticism, blame, or an uncomfortable question

2.nounB2
Definition

words or actions intended to stop criticism, blame, or an uncomfortable question from reaching you

Example

When asked about the missing funds, the manager's deflection was to praise the team's recent sales figures.

possessive + deflection + be + to-infinitive

Voters saw through the senator's deflection and demanded a direct answer about the policy.

see through [somebody]'s deflection

Common collocations
  • deflection tactic
  • deflection strategy
  • a clever deflection
  • a transparent deflection
  • see through a deflection
  • a deflection to avoid [something]
Synonyms
  • evasion

    slightly more formal; can imply a repeated pattern of avoiding the truth

  • dodge

    more informal; suggests a quick, clever avoidance of a question

  • diversion

    focuses on the act of shifting attention away, similar to deflection but less common in this sense

Antonyms
  • admission

    the opposite of avoiding blame — openly accepting responsibility

Usage Note

Very common in political, workplace, and media contexts. A deflection is usually seen as dishonest or evasive. The person using deflection does not directly attack the accuser — they simply redirect attention elsewhere. Distinguish from sense 3 (BLAMING OTHERS), where the person actively blames someone else rather than merely avoiding the topic.

Common Mistakes

His deflection was a clear sign of guilty.
His deflection was a clear sign of guilt.
'guilty' is an adjective; use the noun form 'guilt' after 'of'.

3. a defensive behaviour in which you blame other people for your mistakes instead

3.nounC1
Definition

a defensive behaviour in which you blame other people for your mistakes instead of accepting criticism yourself

Example

In couples therapy, the counsellor explained that deflection was destroying their ability to communicate honestly.

deflection as a destructive pattern in relationships

Ziad's deflection was predictable — instead of admitting the error, he blamed the junior staff member.

Common collocations
  • defence mechanism of deflection
  • deflection in relationships
  • habitual deflection
  • use deflection to avoid [something]
  • deflection and blame-shifting
Synonyms
  • blame-shifting

    more informal; describes the same behaviour in everyday language

  • scapegoating

    stronger and more specific; implies that an innocent person is unfairly blamed for a group's problems

  • finger-pointing

    informal; focuses on the act of pointing out someone else's faults rather than one's own

Antonyms
  • accountability

    the willingness to accept responsibility instead of shifting it to others

Usage Note

Used most often in psychology and relationship discussions. Unlike sense 2 (AVOIDING BLAME), which involves simply changing the subject, this sense describes an active counter-attack — the person does not just dodge the criticism but redirects blame onto another person. This behaviour is considered defensive and damaging in personal relationships and professional environments.

Word family

  • deflect
    verbB2
  • deflector
    nounC1
  • deflective
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words describe ways of avoiding something unwanted, but they differ in how active or dishonest the avoidance feels. Deflection (sense 2) focuses on redirecting attention away from yourself — you talk about something else so the criticism does not land on you. Evasion is slightly more formal and often describes a sustained pattern of avoiding the truth, as in 'tax evasion' or 'evasion of responsibility.' Dodge is informal and suggests a quick, clever move to sidestep a question, like a child dodging a parent's question about homework. Diversion emphasises the act of pulling attention elsewhere, almost like a magician's trick. In everyday conversation, you might say: 'Her mention of the charity work was a deflection — she did not want to discuss the budget cuts.' Or: 'The minister's dodge fooled no one; reporters pressed for a real answer.'

deflection ↗evasiondodge ↗diversion ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • angle of deflection
  • deflection angle
  • wind deflection
  • deflection tactic
  • deflection strategy
  • defence mechanism of deflection
  • blame deflection

Phrases

  • as a deflection
  • a deflection to avoid
  • see through a deflection
  • take a deflection
  • withstand deflection

Prepositions

  • deflection of
  • deflection off
  • deflection from
  • deflection by

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Deflection comes from the Latin verb 'deflectere', meaning 'to bend away or turn aside'. The word is formed from 'de-' (away, off) and 'flectere' (to bend). The original meaning was purely physical — describing how light, arrows, or rivers change direction. By the mid-1900s, English speakers began using it figuratively to describe how people 'bend' a conversation away from uncomfortable topics, and later in psychology for the habit of redirecting blame onto others.