DEVIATES Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

deviates 1 of 2

noun

plural of deviate

as in perverts

a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard a sleazy bar that seemed to be an informal clubhouse for deviates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

saints

deviates

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of deviate

as in turns

to change one's course or direction sailors forced to deviate from their course in order to avoid the storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deviates

Verb

Walsh’s spaceship deviates from many of the vessels seen in Star Wars, as those ships are often dirty and grubby to emphasize their use and wear. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026 And the days are coming when AI is meaningfully involved in clinical care, beyond just transcribing our own words, and the follow-up recommendation deviates from the standard of care. — Frances Mei Hardin, STAT, 7 Aug. 2026 After establishing a baseline over seven nights, the watch will notify you if any stat deviates from the norm, which could be a warning sign of a potential illness. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026 Palm Aire residents Wayne Oken and Richard Hosford say the plan deviates from what was originally promised when the development was first unveiled. — Joan Murray, CBS News, 30 July 2026 This production choice deviates from Marvel's usual digital pipeline, with large-format film capturing significantly more visual detail. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 According to the distillery, the whiskey is made using the same distillation and barrel-entry proof as the core bourbon, but then deviates from there. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 7 July 2026 Extra padding on the tongue and collar blow up the proportions of the silhouette, while a suede, mesh and leather upper deviates from the typical leather build. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 16 June 2026 That precedent deviates from the Fed major mandates and today is actually dangerous. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviates

Noun

This blatant fealty over objectivity perverts the process by choosing personal loyalists instead of independent public servants.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
This blatant expression of fealty over objectivity perverts the process by choosing personal loyalists instead of independent public servants.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of perverts

Verb

Ask who owns what, adjust the timeline, and make one practical fix before momentum turns messy.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
Conversations about the ethics of true crime storytelling persist in the space, especially with critics who claim that the genre turns pain into product and entertainment.

— Matt Minton, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of turns

Noun

The product exploded, generating trillions and minting a new class of crypto degenerates who were willing to take massive risks that, occasionally, resulted in millions.

— Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
In all vertebrates, the thymus degenerates very rapidly with age.

— Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026

Definition of degenerates

Verb

Most surprising, Just Us is marked by a lack of intellectual rigor that often veers close to bad faith.

— Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
The performance is daringly weird, perverse and outlandish, seductively charming, and, for all the flamboyance, Curry never veers out of control, never takes it too far.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of veers

Verb

In the video, testers are seated in a ride vehicle attached to a robotic arm that swings around nearly 360 degrees in the air.

— Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026
During one of the more graphic sequences, It4mi swings a blade at the woman, severing her arm and sending blood across the frame.

— Krystie Lee Yandoli, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of swings

Browse Nearby Words

deviated

deviates

deviating

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Deviates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviates. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of deviates

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes