A barrier, designed to deflect noise away from nearby houses, was erected along the edge of the freeway.
Source: tatoeba (4455585)
Deflect
Synonyms for "deflect" (192 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (39)
Strong matches (57)
Related words (96)
Noun(20 words)
Verb(21 words)
obviateparriedparryrebuffedredirectreflect heatrefractedrefractsrepulsedricochettedricochettingscatterssideswipedsidetrackedstave offstavedswervetemporizesturnturn away
Show 1 more word
ward off
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: avoid, bend, angle, angle off, anticipate.
- Sentence evidence is available for deflect, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "deflect".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "deflect"
Keep "deflect" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "deflect" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "deflect", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "deflect" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
14 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesdeflect attentiondeflect criticismdeflect heatdeflect lightdeflect particlesdeflect radiation
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
33 translations across 17 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- շեղել verb (to make deviate)
Bulgarian
1 entries- отклонявам verb (to make deviate)
Catalan
1 entries- desviar verb (to make deviate)
Finnish
1 entries- poikkeuttaa verb (to make deviate)
French
1 entries- détourner verb (to make deviate)
Galician
1 entries- desviar verb (to make a ball unpredictable)
German
3 entries- abfälschen verb (to make a ball unpredictable)
- ablenken verb (to make deviate)
- abwehren verb (to make a ball unpredictable)
Hungarian
3 entries- elhajlít verb (to make deviate)
- eltérít verb (to make deviate)
- elüt verb (to make a ball unpredictable)
Indonesian
4 entries- belokkan verb (to make deviate)
- defleksikan verb (to make deviate)
- membelokkan verb (to make deviate)
- mendefleksikan verb (to make deviate)
Latin
1 entries- dēflectō verb (to make deviate)
Malay
4 entries- defleksikan verb (to make deviate)
- memesongkan verb (to make deviate)
- mendefleksikan verb (to make deviate)
- pesongkan verb (to make deviate)
Māori
1 entries- whakangungu verb (to make deviate)
Portuguese
1 entries- desviar verb (to make a ball unpredictable)
Russian
2 entries- отклони́ть verb (to make deviate)
- отклоня́ть verb (to make deviate)
Spanish
4 entries- deflejar verb (to make deviate)
- deflexionar verb (to make deviate)
- desviar verb (to make deviate)
- desviar verb (to make a ball unpredictable)
Swedish
2 entries- avböja verb (to make deviate)
- avlänka verb (to make deviate)
Tagalog
1 entries- ilihis verb (to make deviate)
Sample sentences
14 total sentences available.
A lot of people deflect praise that comes their way, because they don't know how to handle it.
Source: tatoeba (4455604)
Magnetospheres — the magnetic fields around most planets — exist throughout our solar system. They deflect high-energy, charged particles called cosmic rays that are spewed out by the Sun or come from interstellar space.
Source: tatoeba (6547988)
Philippine motorcycle riders wear masks to deflect vehicular exhausts in heavy traffic.
Source: tatoeba (8608000)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "deflect"?
Closest matches include avoid, bend, angle, angle off, anticipate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "deflect"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.