Deflect and Prevent

Deflect

Deflect verb - Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening.

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Prevent and deflect are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Prevent" instead a verb "Deflect".

Prevent verb - To keep from happening by taking action in advance.

Usage example: a lot of problems would have been prevented if we'd just prepared better

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Deflect and prevent are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Deflect" instead a verb "Prevent".

Even the thickest available engine armor isn't enough to prevent damage for very long, whereas sufficiently thick body frame armor will deflect lesser rounds all day.

Source: Back Stab
Kaelyn: You toss about words like a wind around you, in the hopes that their speed and flurry will deflect questions and prevent you from being seen for what you are.

Source: Stepford Snarker
Especially in case of shot at long or extremly long ranges, most often sniper fire, branches, leaves or blades of grass can be sufficient to deflect the bullet enough to prevent a hit, one of the reasons why sniping in heavily forested areas or in overgrown areas is much more difficult.

Source: Concealment Equals Cover

Cite this Source

Prevent and Deflect. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/deflect/prevent

Deflect & Prevent. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/deflect/prevent>.

Prevent or Deflect. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/deflect/prevent.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "deflect" and "prevent" have occurred on timeline