as in abnormal
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
some studies show that many violent criminals begin exhibiting deviant behavior in early childhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in maverick
a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs
branded as social deviants by a society that did not value self-expression
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deviant
Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 30 May 2024
The group was aware — perhaps even proud — of the deviant nature of their messaging.
—Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2023
Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
Notably, state self-evaluation and negative affect emerged as the most influential mediators for task performance and deviant behavior, respectively.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deviant
Adjective
Maynard taught at various schools, including as an adjunct faculty member in Santa Clara University’s sociology department and as a lecturer at Sonoma State University specializing in criminal justice, cults and deviant behavior.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 30 May 2024
The group was aware — perhaps even proud — of the deviant nature of their messaging.
—Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2023
Noun
The 1972 thriller film Deliverance showed rural residents in a much harsher light, turning them into criminal, deviant villains.
—Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
Notably, state self-evaluation and negative affect emerged as the most influential mediators for task performance and deviant behavior, respectively.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deviant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviant
Adjective
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The Dodgers swept Milwaukee in that best-of-three first-round series in 2020 and went on to win the whole thing, albeit in abnormal conditions.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
16 Sep. 2025
-
In multiple myeloma, abnormal plasma cells build up in the bone marrow and crowd out healthy blood-forming cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Jazz is an art form with an outsized share of mavericks, rebels, and creative dissidents who’ve built careers by blazing their own particular paths.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
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One is Shinjiro Koizumi, the 44-year-old son of maverick former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who led the country from 2001 to 2006.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But in images with few items and sparser backgrounds, the spatial effect looks unnatural.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
17 Sep. 2025
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These systems check everything from micro-expressions to unnatural lighting, skin texture or moiré patterns left by screen replays.—
Ihar Kliashchou,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For Mimi Pond, the desire to do a book about the Mitford sisters – six larger-than-life British eccentrics (and one brother) who created a stir in both British and American culture – was obvious.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
5 Sep. 2025
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For decades, sovereign citizens largely flew under the radar in Australia as relatively harmless eccentrics with a special interest in conspiracy theories.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deviant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviant. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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