deflect
B2Formal to Neutral. Common in news, academic, and technical writing; used but less frequent in casual conversation.
Definition
Meaning
to cause something to change direction by hitting or bouncing off of a surface; to prevent something from being directed at or focusing on a subject.
To turn aside or cause to deviate from a purpose, intention, or line of thought, often as a defensive or evasive tactic.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a transitive verb. Often implies an active, sometimes skilful, avoidance or redirection of something physical or metaphorical (like blame, criticism, or attention). Connotes a sense of protection or evasion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage frequency.
Connotations
Slight preference for metaphorical use (e.g., deflect questions) in political/journalistic contexts in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
deflect somethingdeflect something from somebody/somethingbe deflected by somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Deflect the blame onto someone else”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in management contexts regarding responsibility or criticism, e.g., 'The CEO deflected questions about the falling profits.'
Academic
Used in physics (kinematics, optics) and social sciences (e.g., conflict resolution, discourse analysis).
Everyday
Most common in discussions about sports (deflecting a shot) or avoiding awkward questions.
Technical
Core term in physics/engineering for describing the change in path of a moving object or wave upon impact.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The wing mirror deflected the blast, saving the driver's life.
- She skilfully deflected the interviewer's probing question about her private life.
American English
- The goalie deflected the puck just wide of the net.
- The senator deflected criticism by focusing on his opponent's record.
adjective
British English
- The material has excellent deflectant properties against radiation.
American English
- The deflector shield on the spacecraft protected it from debris.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The tree branch deflected the ball into my garden.
- He tried to deflect the blame for the mistake onto his team.
- The company's PR statement was designed to deflect attention from the scandal.
- Her witty remark deflected the potentially hostile line of questioning, reframing the debate entirely.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a DEflector shield in science fiction: it DE-flects (turns away) lasers and attacks.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRITICISM/ATTENTION IS A PHYSICAL PROJECTILE (that can be bounced away or blocked).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not 'отражать' in the sense of 'reflect thoughts/mirror'. Closer to 'отклонять', 'отводить'. Beware of false friend 'дефект' (defect).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'deflect' with 'to' for the target of redirection (incorrect: *deflect the blame to his colleague; correct: deflect the blame onto his colleague).
- Confusing 'deflect' (change direction upon contact) with 'reflect' (throw back, especially light, heat, or an image).
Practice
Quiz
In which of these sentences is 'deflect' used most metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Deflect' means to cause something to change direction, often after contact. 'Reflect' means to throw back (like light, heat, sound) or to think deeply about something, or to show an image.
Rarely in modern usage. It is almost always transitive (needs an object). The object can be something physical (a ball) or abstract (criticism).
It is neutral but leans towards formal. It's perfectly acceptable in writing and serious speech but might be replaced by 'turn aside' or 'divert' in very casual conversation.
'Onto' is common when indicating the new target of the diverted thing (deflect blame onto someone). 'From' is used to indicate what is being avoided (deflect attention from the issue). 'By' is used in passive constructions for the means of deflection (deflected by the shield).