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Reflect vs Deflect - What's the difference?

reflect | deflect |

In transitive terms the difference between deflect and reflect

is that deflect is to make (something) deviate from its original path while reflect is to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.

In intransitive terms the difference between deflect and reflect

is that deflect is to deviate from its original path while reflect is (think seriously) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.

reflect

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
  • To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
  • To mirror, or show the image of something.
    • The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
  • To be mirrored.
    • His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
  • To agree with; to closely follow.
    • Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
  • To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
    • The team's victory reflects the Captain's abilities.
    The teacher's ability reflects well on the school.
  • *
    • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
  • (senseid) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
    • People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
  • * 1985 , , Option Lock , page 229:
    • Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.

    Synonyms

    * See also
    Derived terms
    * reflective * reflexion * unreflective * nonreflective * reflectorize

    deflect

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make (something) deviate from its original path.
  • To deviate from its original path.
  • (figuratively) To avoid addressing (questions, criticism, etc.).
    • The Prime Minister deflected some increasingly pointed questions by claiming he had an appointment.
  • (figuratively) To divert (attention, etc.).
  • * 2013 , Luke Harding and Uki Goni, Argentina urges UK to hand back Falklands and 'end colonialism'' (in ''The Guardian , 3 January 2013)[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/02/argentina-britain-hand-back-falklands]
    • Critics suggest that Fernández, an unashamed populist and nationalist, is seeking to deflect attention from social disharmony at home.