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 City staff recommended approving the plan with a deviation from the usual rules to allow for the 10-ft decorative fence. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026 City staff told commissioners the ninth floor was a code deviation the developers requested in exchange for giving a new school and playground to Crystal Academy, along with the public courtyard. — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026 There are also significant deviations from US civilian law, said law professor Joshua Kastenberg on The Conversation. — Will Barker, TheWeek, 8 July 2026 In the book, the Senator is a man — Paul Thurman — but Yost previously confirmed that the show makes significant deviations from the source material. — Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deviation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviation

Noun

Kevin De Bruyne’s departure in summer 2025, Bernardo Silva’s this off-season and questions over Rodri’s future mean City need to rebuild the most important part of their creaking winning machine.

— Cerys Jones, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Back on the calendar with presentations are Leonard, which has not yet announced a creative director following the departure of Georg Lux in December; Chinese label Didu, and fashion veteran Xuly Bët.

— Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 24 July 2026

Definition of departure

Noun

Savvy visitors are coloring in their beach-bar routes with detours to quaint villages, art galleries, and sprawling vineyards.

— Katie Silcox, Vogue, 24 July 2026
As Pittsburgh faces detours and slow traffic with the I-376 Parkway East closure, another set of roads is set to be temporarily blocked.

— Finch Walker, USA Today, 24 July 2026

Definition of detour

Noun

If entry-level consultants, lawyers, and financial analysts were being systematically substituted out at the pace Amodei described to 60 Minutes in November 2025, McCrory’s occupation-level unemployment data should already show some divergence.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2026
At divergence points, other autonomous vehicles complete their journey.

— Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of divergence

Browse Nearby Words

deviating

deviation

deviations

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Deviation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviation. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of deviation

noun

Example Sentences

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