deflection
deflection Lexical Profile
deflection Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The action or process of causing something to change direction, or the state of being turned aside from a straight course.
"The sudden deflection of the soccer ball off the defender's boot left the goalkeeper with no time to react."
The act of shifting blame, criticism, or attention away from oneself onto another person or topic, often as a psychological defense mechanism.
"During the press conference, the spokesperson used humor as a deflection to avoid answering tough questions about the budget."
In engineering and physics, the degree to which a structural element bends under a load, or the displacement of an indicator needle from its zero position.
"Engineers measured the vertical deflection of the steel beam under maximum load to ensure the bridge met safety standards."
• Rhymes for deflection
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from Late Latin deflexionem, a noun of action from the past participle stem of deflectere ('to bend aside or turn away'), formed from de- ('away from') and flectere ('to bend').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.