deviation

1 of 3

noun (1)

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

deviationism

ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shə-ˌni-zəm 

noun

deviationist

ˌdē-vē-ˈā-sh(ə-)nist 

noun or adjective

deviationist

2 of 3

noun (2)

de·​vi·​a·​tion·​ist -sh(ə)nə̇st 

plural -s

: one who departs from the principles of an organization (such as a political party) with which he or she is affiliated

deviationists in Communist countries

deviationist

3 of 3

adjective

: of or relating to deviationism or deviationists

Synonyms of deviation

Noun (1)

• departure
• detour
• divergence
• deflection

Examples of deviation in a Sentence

Noun (1)

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

Noun

These deviations are due to the interaction between the helium in their atmosphere and traces of other elements, which vary between white dwarfs, depending on what material has interacted with the star over the course of its lifetime. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

This type of structured risk assessment is already extensively used in industry through HAZOP reviews, where potential deviations, causes, consequences and safeguards are systematically examined before a process is put into operation. — Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Li fled to Mexico and then China to avoid arrest, and Xuan and Zhang are accused of helping her, according to a criminal complaint and the prosecutors’ bail deviation motion. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Any deviation from the standard of care felt like a reckless gamble with death. — Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

see deviate entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing deviation

• mean deviation
• mean square deviation
• standard deviation

Rhymes for deviation

• ablation
• aeration
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation

Kids 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