deviation
noun
de·vi·a·tion
ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shən 
: an act or instance of deviating: such as
a
navigation
: deflection of the needle of a compass caused by local magnetic influences (as in a ship)
b
mathematics
: the difference between a value in a frequency distribution and a fixed number (such as the mean)
c
: departure from an established ideology or party line
deviation from Communist orthodoxy
d
: noticeable or marked departure from accepted norms (see norm sense 2) of behavior
Synonyms
Examples of deviation in a Sentence
There have been slight deviations in the satellite's orbit.
Having juice instead of coffee was a deviation from his usual routine.
The pattern's deviation from the norm is significant.
Recent Examples on the Web
There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio.
—
Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
The hospital and University of Utah didn’t respond to questions about whether patients are informed in writing about any deviations from the standard of care.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 6 Mar. 2024
There was no room for deviation: last fall, Shuyi was fined seven thousand dollars for ad-libbing a minute past his fifteen-minute script.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024
These deviations are small but significant, and understanding them could unlock insights into the solar interior.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
But even with these various smart deviations from the source material, the show’s first season is middling drama at best.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024
The very end of Part Two hints at potentially promising deviation from the books, showing a betrayed-looking Chani abandoning Paul’s army, setting up a potentially more antagonistic relationship between the lovers in Part Three.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024
As more and more doctors stick to a standard, the less acceptable a deviation from that standard practice is, Marron said.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 6 Mar. 2024
Details along the turquoise rim—a fun deviation from classic royal blue—include a cacophony of mystical creatures and fantastical flora.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024
Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024
The hospital and University of Utah didn’t respond to questions about whether patients are informed in writing about any deviations from the standard of care.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 6 Mar. 2024
There was no room for deviation: last fall, Shuyi was fined seven thousand dollars for ad-libbing a minute past his fifteen-minute script.
—Chang Che, The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2024
These deviations are small but significant, and understanding them could unlock insights into the solar interior.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
But even with these various smart deviations from the source material, the show’s first season is middling drama at best.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024
The very end of Part Two hints at potentially promising deviation from the books, showing a betrayed-looking Chani abandoning Paul’s army, setting up a potentially more antagonistic relationship between the lovers in Part Three.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024
As more and more doctors stick to a standard, the less acceptable a deviation from that standard practice is, Marron said.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 6 Mar. 2024
Details along the turquoise rim—a fun deviation from classic royal blue—include a cacophony of mystical creatures and fantastical flora.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deviation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deviation
Cite this Entry
“Deviation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deviation. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deviation
noun
de·vi·a·tion
ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shən
: an act or instance of deviating: as
a
: the difference found by subtracting some fixed number (as the arithmetic mean of a series of statistical data) from any item of the series
b
: noticeable difference from accepted standards (as of behavior or morals)
Medical Definition
deviation
noun
de·vi·a·tion
ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shən
: an act or instance of diverging from an established way or in a new direction: as
a
: evolutionary differentiation involving interpolation of new stages in the ancestral pattern of morphogenesis
b
: noticeable or marked departure from accepted norms of behavior
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share