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1. Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off
   "deflect a strike";
   - debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off
    
2. Turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest
   - bend, turn away
    
3. Turn aside and away from an initial or intended course
    
4. Draw someone's attention away from something
   "He deflected his competitors";
   - distract
    
5. Impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)
   "deflect an attack";
   - parry, block

Derived forms: deflected, deflects, deflecting

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

Encyclopedia: Deflect