deflect

The word “deflect” has 2 syllables: de-flect

It's pronounced as /dɪˈflɛkt/


What is synonym and antonym for deflect?

In the thesaurus, “deflect” has 26 synonyms.

Here are synonyms for deflect along with examples of usage in sentences.


Synonyms for deflect

  • avert
  • bend
  • curve
  • deviate
  • divert
  • move
  • rechannel
  • redirect
  • reverse
  • shift
  • shunt
  • sidetrack
  • sway
  • swerve
  • swing
  • switch
  • swivel
  • transfer
  • turn
  • turn back
  • twist
  • veer
  • wheel
  • whip
  • whirl
  • zigzag

Meanings of deflect

  • verb
    1. To make (something) deviate from its original path.
    2. (ball games) To touch the ball, often unwittingly, after a shot or a sharp pass, thereby making it unpredictable for the other players.
    3. To deviate from its original path.
    4. To avoid addressing (questions, criticism, etc.).
    5. To divert (attention, etc.).

Example Sentences

  • He used a shield to deflect the arrow.
  • She tried to deflect the question by changing the topic.
  • The mirror can deflect sunlight into the room.
  • Politicians often deflect blame when things go wrong.
  • The goalie managed to deflect the ball just in time.

On this page you'll find 26 synonyms or another words to deflect, such as: avert, bend, curve, deviate, divert, move, rechannel.

Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.

Related Words

keep clear of

  • avert
  • avoid
  • ban
  • bar
  • bilk
  • bypass
  • circumvent
  • cold-shoulder
  • cut
  • debar
  • decline
  • deflect
  • despise
  • disdain
  • ditch
  • divert
  • dodge
  • double
  • duck
  • eliminate
  • elude
  • escape
  • eschew
  • evade
  • except
  • exclude
  • fight shy of
  • finesse
  • foil
  • fox
  • frustrate
  • get around
  • give a wide berth
  • give the runaround
  • have no part of
  • have nothing to do with
  • hide out
  • keep away from
  • miss
  • neglect
  • obviate
  • outfox
  • outsmart
  • outwit
  • overreach
  • palm off
  • parry
  • pass up
  • preclude
  • prevent
  • refuse
  • reject
  • rule out
  • scape
  • scorn
  • shake
  • shake off
  • shirk
  • shun
  • shy
  • skirt
  • snub
  • stall
  • stand aloof from
  • stay clear of
  • stay shy of
  • steer clear of
  • thwart
  • turn back on

zigzag

  • avoid
  • bending
  • bent
  • circling
  • circuitous
  • coiled
  • coiling
  • corkscrew
  • crazy
  • crinkled
  • crooked
  • curled
  • curling
  • curved
  • curving
  • curvy
  • deflect
  • devious
  • dodge
  • duck
  • elude
  • erratic
  • escape
  • evade
  • fluctuating
  • indirect
  • irregular
  • jagged
  • jink
  • looping
  • meandering
  • oscillating
  • parry
  • rambling
  • roundabout
  • serpentine
  • serrated
  • shirk
  • sidestep
  • sinuous
  • skirt
  • slalom
  • slide
  • slip
  • snaking
  • spiral
  • spiraling
  • spiralling
  • swirling
  • tortuous
  • transverse
  • turn
  • twisted
  • twisting
  • undulating
  • uneven
  • waggling
  • wandering
  • weave
  • winding
  • windy
  • zigzagging

fake out

  • aberration
  • abstain
  • act
  • affect
  • allege
  • alteration
  • assume
  • avert
  • baffle
  • bamboozle
  • bash
  • be deceitful
  • be first
  • be hypocritical
  • beat
  • beguile
  • best
  • betray
  • better
  • bewilder
  • bleed
  • blow away
  • blow out of water
  • bluff
  • buffalo
  • bulldoze
  • bunco
  • burn
  • bury
  • bypass
  • cap
  • catch
  • cheat
  • chicane
  • chisel
  • circumlocute
  • circumvent
  • claim
  • claim falsely
  • clobber
  • cold-shoulder
  • con
  • confuse
  • cook
  • counterfeit
  • cozen
  • cream
  • deceive
  • defeat
  • deflect
  • deflection
  • defraud
  • deke
  • delude
  • departure
  • desist
  • detour
  • deviation
  • diddle
  • digression
  • dissemble
  • dissimulate
  • ditch
  • divergence
  • divert
  • do a number on
  • do in
  • dodge
  • double-cross
  • down
  • duck
  • dupe
  • eclipse
  • elude
  • end-run
  • escape
  • eschew
  • euchre
  • evade
  • exceed
  • excel
  • fake
  • feign
  • fend off
  • figure out
  • finagle
  • fish
  • flee
  • fleece
  • flimflam
  • fool
  • fox
  • frame
  • fudge
  • gaff
  • gammon
  • give the slip
  • go beyond
  • go one better
  • gull
  • have
  • have on
  • hide
  • hoax
  • hold off
  • hoodwink
  • hornswoggle
  • humbug
  • hustle
  • illude
  • impersonate
  • jazz
  • jive
  • juggle
  • juke
  • jump
  • keep clear
  • kid
  • lay claim
  • lay low
  • lead astray
  • lead on
  • lead one down the garden path
  • lead one up the garden path
  • leave behind
  • let on
  • lick
  • lie
  • make a fool of
  • make a monkey of
  • make believe
  • make out
  • malinger
  • masquerade
  • misguide
  • misinform
  • mislead
  • mulct
  • murphy
  • obviate
  • outclass
  • outdistance
  • outdo
  • outfox
  • outgeneral
  • outguess
  • outgun
  • outjockey
  • outmaneuver
  • outrival
  • outshine
  • outsmart
  • outstrip
  • outthink
  • overreach
  • overrun
  • pass off
  • pass oneself off as
  • play a trick on
  • play games with
  • play-act
  • pretend
  • profess
  • psych out
  • pull a fast one
  • pull a fast one on
  • pump-fake
  • purport
  • put on
  • put one over on
  • put up a front
  • recoil
  • red herring
  • rook
  • run a game on
  • run circles around
  • run for cover
  • scam
  • set up
  • shake
  • shake and bake
  • shake off
  • sham
  • shirk
  • shoot ahead
  • shortchange
  • shrink from
  • shuck
  • shuffle off
  • shun
  • shut out
  • shy
  • sidestep
  • simulate
  • skin
  • skip
  • skip out on
  • skip town
  • skirt
  • slip
  • snooker
  • snow
  • spoof
  • squeeze
  • stay away
  • stay out
  • steer clear of
  • step aside
  • stick
  • sting
  • stonewall
  • string along
  • stutter-step
  • suck in
  • sucker
  • surpass
  • swindle
  • take for a ride
  • take in
  • tease
  • top
  • total
  • transcend
  • trash
  • trick
  • trifle
  • turn aside
  • turning
  • variation
  • ward off
  • weave
  • whitewash
  • withdraw
  • worst

jink

obviate

  • anticipate
  • arrest
  • avert
  • avoid
  • baffle
  • balk
  • bar
  • block
  • check
  • checkmate
  • circumvent
  • counter
  • counteract
  • counterbalance
  • deflect
  • deter
  • do away with
  • dodge
  • duck
  • elude
  • escape
  • eschew
  • evade
  • foil
  • forbid
  • forestall
  • forfend
  • frustrate
  • halt
  • hamper
  • head off
  • help
  • hinder
  • impede
  • inhibit
  • interfere
  • interpose
  • intervene
  • negate
  • neutralize
  • nullify
  • offset
  • preclude
  • prevent
  • prohibit
  • provide
  • remove
  • restrain
  • retard
  • rule out
  • save
  • shake
  • shirk
  • shun
  • stall
  • stave off
  • stop
  • thwart
  • ward

Browse the Thesaurus