deflect

UK: /dɪˈflɛkt/ US: /dɪˈflɛkt/ ,(di flekt′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

de•flect /dɪˈflɛkt/   v. 

1. to bend or turn aside: [no obj]:
   The shot deflected into the net past the goalie.
   [ ~ + obj ]:
   He deflected the shot past the goalie.
2. [ ~ + obj] to divert; turn aside and reduce the harm of:
   He managed to deflect criticism onto someone else.

de•flec•tion /dɪˈflɛkʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] deflection of any criticism that came his way.

[countable] scored on several deflections past the goalie.

de•flec•tor, n. [countable] See -flect-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

de•flect  (di flekt′), v.t., v.i. 

1. to bend or turn aside;
   turn from a true course or straight line;
   swerve.

• Latin dēflectere to bend down, turn aside, equivalent. to dē- de- + flectere to bend, turn
• 1545–55

de•flect′a•ble, adj. 
de•flec′tor, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

deflect / dɪˈflɛkt/ verb

1. to turn or cause to turn aside from a course; swerve

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin dēflectere, from flectere to bend

deˈflector noun