# deflection

> English word · Noun · IPA /dɪˈflɛkʃən/ · frequency rank #21,772

## Definitions
1. The act of deflecting or something deflected.
2. Deviation (of a needle or other indicator or mechanism) from a previous position.
3. The act of refusing to address something (questions, criticism, etc.).
4. The act of rejecting culpability by redirecting blame elsewhere.
5. Bending or deformation under load.
6. A tactic that forces an opposing piece to leave the square, rank or file it occupies, thus exposing the king or a valuable piece

## Etymology
From Latin dēflexiō, from dēflectere (“to deflect”; participle stem dēflex-) + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns). The non-etymological spelling deflection is taken from the present stem dēflect-, associated with collection, dissection, etc. By surface analysis, deflect + -ion.

## Easily confused with
- **deletion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deflection-vs-deletion)
- **detection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deflection-vs-detection)
- **depletion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deflection-vs-depletion)
- **deflation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deflation-vs-deflection)
- **defection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defection-vs-deflection)

## Common misspellings (16)
`ddeflection`, `defelction`, `defflection`, `deflcetion`, `deflecction`, `defleciton`, `deflecsion`, `deflectino`, `deflectionn`, `deflectoin`, `deflecttion`, `defletcion`, `defllection`, `delfection`, `dfelection`, `edflection`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/deflection