1
as in unusual
being out of the ordinary
a year of aberrant weather—record rainfall in the summer, record heat in the autumn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abnormal
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
aberrant behavior can be a sign of rabies in a wild animal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in deviant
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aberrant
David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
But Tuttle and Birney, whose Hank is witty, insightful and guilt-stricken over his aberrant desires, know that many people will condemn them for portraying a pedophile as a human being, not just a monster.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
The aberrant gene makes a form of the huntingtin protein that clumps into toxic aggregates, which prevent nerves from functioning normally.
—Alice Park, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Importantly, this process requires no knowledge of the exact positions of the aberrant carbon nanotubes—the same design works for any starting configuration.
—Max Shulaker, IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2016
See All Example Sentences for aberrant
Adjective
More recently, though, he’s been following through, no matter how aberrant his ideas.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
But Tuttle and Birney, whose Hank is witty, insightful and guilt-stricken over his aberrant desires, know that many people will condemn them for portraying a pedophile as a human being, not just a monster.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
The aberrant gene makes a form of the huntingtin protein that clumps into toxic aggregates, which prevent nerves from functioning normally.
—Alice Park, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Importantly, this process requires no knowledge of the exact positions of the aberrant carbon nanotubes—the same design works for any starting configuration.
—Max Shulaker, IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2016
See All Example Sentences for aberrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aberrant
Adjective
-
The lobby is filled with well-to-do patrons, and seeing children in tow is not unusual.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
In the case of the female individual, the authors noted an unusual break at the base of the cranium that likely occurred near the time of death.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Due to difficulties finding a suitable donor [for the transplant], Caitlin suffered an abnormal relapse and the cancer returned to her skin.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
Sybil, who spent her younger years beleaguered by the presence of her double, that emblem of feminine conformity named Désirée, never manages to perceive herself as anything but abnormal by comparison.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The central and longest section presents the Guru’s grievances against Aurangzeb in the style of a Sufi pir (spiritual guide) addressing a deviant murid (disciple), indicting the emperor for violating the oath and sanctioning the murder of Gobind Singh’s sons.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
-
This boosts the rank, and by experimenting with this mechanic, players can uncover mutations and deviants, the rarest and most powerful variants.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Heat radiates from the pages of this extraordinary novel about a poor family in rural Mississippi in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Today’s presidential centers require extraordinary amounts of private capital to support broader ambitions.—
Andre Dowell,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
According to Paul Penrose, a detective sergeant assigned to the case, Nickell’s body was found on its back, in an unnatural position.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
6 June 2026
-
The robots that looked highly realistic but fell short, leaving an unnatural sensation that they could not be trusted.—
Praful Saklani,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
But the film is really a tour of a pre-gentrified East Village, full of low-key bars and cafes, run-down apartments, eccentrics and struggling artists.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Once a stronghold of canneries and lumber mills, the town has numerous tumbledown Victorians that have long been havens for artists, brewers, and various eccentrics—along with fans of The Goonies, who make pilgrimages to see where the seminal movie was shot.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
At scholarship level especially, his record was exceptional — in the 2023-24 campaign, Wilson averaged a goal every 64 minutes, netting 16 in 13 games.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Passages like these have the curious effect of retrofitting Sinking’s less exceptional moments with their elegant modernity.—
Ben Cardew,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
His quick wit, punchy puns and unique voice came through even on the page, and NBC took notice.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
Through advanced genetic sequencing, chemotherapy and the expertise of a large medical team, doctors were able to identify a treatment approach tailored to Hadley's unique tumor.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aberrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aberrant. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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