DEVIATION Synonyms: 11 Similar and Opposite Words

deviation

noun

ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shən

Definition of deviation

as in departure

a turning away from a course or standard a memoir that was discovered to contain numerous deviations from fact

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adherence

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 deviation But there are tiny systemic deviations at small angles in that orientation, which in turn create the twisted structure. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 The three spacecraft will beam lasers at each other, looking for deviations in the travel time of those laser beams as evidence for the passing of a long-wavelength gravitational wave. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 17 Aug. 2026 To be clear, the success of a good adaptation isn’t necessarily its faithfulness to the source material, but major deviations from the book are far from the only problems here. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 Chocolate Chipless Cookies, for instance, was locked from the start, and any deviation from that title was not an option. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deviation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviation

Noun

Katseye’s departure from Daisy Chain Fields comes while the group, which debuted as a six-member group, remains down two singers.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Compared, say, with the 1990s here, the suite of departures to points near and far is formidable.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of departure

Noun

Investor attention is currently shifting toward a growing divergence within technology equities, as market capital rotates away from mega-cap tech giants and into the AI infrastructure supply chain.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Why equal weight funds are beating the market The mechanics explain the divergence.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of divergence

Browse Nearby Words

deviating

deviation

deviations

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Style

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

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Synonyms of deviation

noun

Example Sentences

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