Verb deflect has 5 senses
  1. debar, obviate, deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off - prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike"
    --1 is one way to prevent, forestall, foreclose, preclude, forbid
    Sample sentences:
    Somebody ----s something
    Something ----s something
  2. deflect, bend, turn away - turn from a straight course , fixed direction, or line of interest
    --2 is one way to turn
    Derived forms: noun deflexion4, noun deflection5, noun deflector1
    Sample sentences:
    Somebody ----s something
    Something ----s something
  3. deflect, deviate - turn aside
    --3 is one way to turn
    Derived forms: noun deflexion4, noun deflection5, noun deflector1
    Sample sentences:
    Something ----s
    Somebody ----s
  4. distract, deflect - draw someone's attention away from something; "The thief distracted the bystanders"; "He deflected his competitors"
    --4 is one way to confuse, flurry, disconcert, put off
    Sample sentences:
    Somebody ----s somebody
    Something ----s somebody
  5. parry, block, deflect - impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball); "block an attack"
    --5 is one way to fence
    Sample sentence:
    The fighter managed to deflect his opponent
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