# deflect

/dɪˈfɫɛkt/ (US) · /dɪflˈɛkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/deflect
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to change physical direction

verb · CEFR B2

to hit something and make it move in a different direction.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'off' or 'away from'.

### 2. to avoid a topic or criticism

verb · CEFR B2

to avoid answering a question or dealing with a problem by changing the subject.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Commonly takes 'attention', 'blame', or 'criticism' as a direct object.

### 3. to redirect blame

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic

to make someone else look responsible for a mistake so you do not get in trouble.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Often used in clinical or sociological contexts to describe defensive behaviour.

## Examples

- He tried to deflect the blame onto his coworkers.
- During the press conference, the politician managed to deflect every difficult question by bringing up his opponent's past mistakes.
- The armor was specifically designed to deflect incoming projectiles rather than absorb the full force of the impact, significantly increasing the wearer's chances of survival.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.