To deflect is to make something change direction after hitting it, or to avoid dealing with a question, blame, or criticism by turning it aside.
It comes from Latin “deflectere,” meaning “to bend away,” from “de-” (away) and “flectere” (to bend). The idea is physically or mentally bending something off its original path.
You can deflect a ball, a bullet, or an awkward question—the physics and the psychology share the same shape. Watch for deflection in conversations: answers that look like responses but actually slide away from the real issue.
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