1. Turn aside and away from an initial or intended course
   "The goalie deflected the puck"
    
2. Turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest
   "The river deflects around the large boulder";
   - bend, turn away
    
3. Draw someone's attention away from something
   "He deflected his competitors";
   - distract
    
4. Impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)
   "deflect an attack";
   - parry, block
    
5. Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off
   "They managed to deflect the crisis through quick action";
   - forefend [archaic], forfend [archaic], obviate, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off

Derived forms: deflected, deflecting, deflects

Type of: confuse, disconcert, fence, flurry, forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, put off, turn

Encyclopedia: Deflect