Deflect
/dɪˈflɛkt/
verbB2
Definition
Deflect means to cause something, like a ball, light, or a question, to move away from its straight path by hitting or turning it. It can be used in physical situations (like a ball bouncing off a wall) or in conversations (changing the topic to avoid a question).
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See It in Action
To cause a moving object or force to change direction
- •The goalie deflected the ball away from the goal.
- •The mirror deflected the sunlight into the room.
- •The shield deflected the arrows during the battle.
To avoid or change the focus of attention or conversation
- •She deflected the question by talking about something else.
- •Politicians often deflect criticism instead of answering directly.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "deflect" like "turn," but it is about changing the path of something moving toward you, like a ball or attention.
- ✓Picture a soccer player kicking a ball that hits a defender’s leg and changes direction.
- ✓It’s the feeling when you avoid a question by changing the subject, like dodging a difficult topic.
- ✓Sounds like "de-FLECT" → imagine a flying object that "flew" but then "left" its original path.
- ✓Imagine a shield in a story that stops arrows by sending them away to the side.
- ✓NOT like "catch" (which stops something completely), deflect only changes direction but lets it continue.
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (which means not paying attention), deflect actively moves something away.
- ✓NOT like "block" (which stops movement), deflect lets the thing move but in a new direction.
Try Other Words
- •Redirect: to send something to a different place or direction (Use when the change is planned or controlled)
- •Dodge: to avoid something by moving quickly (Use when avoiding something actively, especially in physical or conversational sense)
- •Block: to stop something from passing (Use when the movement is stopped, not just changed)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "de-" (away, off) + root "flect" (to bend or turn)
- •Etymology: From Latin "deflectere," meaning to bend away or turn aside
- •Historical development: Used since the 15th century to describe bending or turning away of objects or ideas
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in sports, physics, and conversation to describe changing direction or avoiding focus
Reflect & Connect
•Can deflecting a question sometimes be helpful? When might it be rude or dishonest?
•How can understanding deflection help you in sports or in conversations?
Fill in the blanks
1.The goalkeeper deflected the ball ___ the goal with a quick move.
2.When asked about the mistake, she deflected the question by changing the ___.
3.A mirror can deflect light ___ different directions depending on its angle.
4.He tried to deflect criticism ___ answering directly.
5.The shield deflected the arrow ___ its original path but did not stop it completely.
6.Politicians often deflect difficult questions ___ talking about other topics.
7.When the ball was deflected, it suddenly changed ___ and confused the players.