Word
deflect
Phoneticsde·flect, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈfɫɛkt/
UK/dɪflˈɛkt/
Definitions
01to change physical direction
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to hit something and make it move in a different direction.
v. to cause an object to deviate from its original straight path or position by hitting or blocking it.
“The ball hit the defender's leg and deflected into the goal.”
“The bullet struck the metal plate and deflected harmlessly into the sandbags, preventing any injury to the bystanders.”
02to avoid a topic or criticism
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to avoid answering a question or dealing with a problem by changing the subject.
v. to divert attention, criticism, or blame away from oneself toward another person or topic.
“The politician tried to deflect the reporter's difficult questions by talking about his past successes.”
“During the press conference, the CEO attempted to deflect criticism regarding the falling stock prices by highlighting the company's recent charitable donations.”
03to redirect blame
C1 · Advanced Psychology Academic
v. to make someone else look responsible for a mistake so you do not get in trouble.
v. to redirect culpability or responsibility to an external party to avoid personal or professional consequences.
“He always tries to deflect the blame onto his coworkers when a project fails.”
“The patient exhibited a chronic tendency to deflect responsibility for his actions, a common defence mechanism in certain personality disorders.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; often used with the preposition 'from' or 'onto'.
Pitfall
he deflected from the question
he deflected the question
When used to mean avoiding a topic, the verb is transitive and does not require 'from' before the object.
Etymology
From Latin deflecto, from de- (“away”) + flecto (“to bend”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/deflect