deflected

[dih-flek-tid] / dɪˈflɛk tɪd /

VERB

bounce off; turn aside

Synonyms

STRONGEST

avert bend cover up divert hook pivot ricochet slip swerve veer whip

STRONG

curve deviate disperse diverge fend parry sheer shy sidetrack slew twist wheel whirl wind

WEAK

glance off hold off keep off volte-face

Antonyms

STRONGEST

stay straighten

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Wahl said a bullet may have deflected off the landscaper's hard hat, although this had yet to be confirmed.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Those in charge that day have deflected blame, while other firefighters testified that they didn’t question what they were assigned to do.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

By calculating the strength of the star's wind and tracking how much the jets were deflected, researchers were able to determine the jets' power at a specific moment.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

But when Boozer tried to throw a pass across half-court to a wide-open teammate, Demary’s outstretched hand deflected the ball and began to make the miracle possible.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Challenges to the system will be easily absorbed or deflected, and the accommodations made will serve primarily to legitimate the system, not undermine it.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander