deflection

/dɪˈflɛkʃən/
noun
  1. The act of changing direction or being turned aside, especially after hitting something.
    • Engineers measure the deflection of a bridge under heavy loads.
    • The deflection of the ball off the post saved the goal.
    • A slight deflection of the laser beam caused it to miss the target.
  2. The act of avoiding something such as criticism, blame, or a question.
    • The spokesperson's deflection of the reporter's question was obvious.
    • She used humor as a deflection to avoid talking about her feelings.
    • His constant deflection of blame made him unpopular with the team.
Antonyms
What does "deflection" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean