SINCE 1828
deviance
noun
de·vi·ance
| \ ˈdē-vē-ən(t)s
\
\
Definition of deviance
: deviant quality, state, or behavior
Examples of deviance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For all the deviance, the play's ambitions remain rooted to the study of its characters. — Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, "In 'The Roommate' at Steppenwolf, directed by Phylicia Rashad, the Bronx meets Midwestern nice," 1 July 2018 However, there are also innate characteristics that can make someone uniquely vulnerable or invulnerable; extreme family traits or circumstances that explain the deviance. — Chris Cuomo, CNN, "Chris Cuomo: What I learned about evil from America's notorious criminals," 14 June 2018 Gender traitors and rebels are hanged on the wall, a continual threat that any deviance from Gilead will not be tolerated. — refinery29.com, "The Real-Life Origins Of The Rites & Rituals Seen In The Handmaid's Tale," 9 May 2018 She's made to watch a weird short film about deviance, which happens to star Moose and Kevin as two young men who forgo socializing with women to spend time alone together. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Riverdale Season 2 Episode 17: Veronica and Toni Just Staged a Daring Rescue of Cheryl," 29 Mar. 2018 The film’s deviance amounts to little more than a few campy in-jokes: when the villain breaks into Ana and Christian's penthouse, a member of their security detail pins him down and laments her lack of restraints. — Leah Pickett, Chicago Reader, "Fifty Shades Freed: Come for the BDSM, stay for the lifestyle porn," 9 Feb. 2018 Reed combined literary aspirations with a fearless eye for deviance and, by extension, a staunch defense of freedom of expression. — James Sullivan, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘Lou Reed: A Life,’ by Anthony DeCurtis," 4 Jan. 2018 In a typical Hollywood movie, important architecture, especially important modern architecture, would be a symbol of big-city sophistication (or even, as documentarian Thom Andersen and others have pointed out, of deviance or criminality). — Christopher Hawthorne, latimes.com, "'Meth and modernism': The understated 'Columbus' offers a complex portrait of small-town America," 3 Aug. 2017 A barricade of deviance and grit kept much of the straight world out, protecting the neighborhood’s unconventional character. — Jeremiah Moss, Longreads, "Mourning the Low-Rent, Weirdo-Filled East Village of Old," 24 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deviance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for deviance
deviance
noun
de·vi·ance
| \ ˈdē-vē-ən(t)s
\
\
Medical Definition of deviance
: deviant quality, state, or behavior
Comments on deviance
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