aberrant 1 of 2

adjective

a-ˈber-ənt How to pronounce aberrant (audio)
Definition of aberrantnext
1
as in unusual
being out of the ordinary a year of aberrant weather—record rainfall in the summer, record heat in the autumn

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

aberrant

2 of 2

noun

as in deviant

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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 aberrant
Adjective
That Millett could not accept the continuation of normal life in the face of the aberrant murder of a stranger is evidence of her formidable sense of justice. — Rachel Cusk, New Yorker, 13 June 2026 Making the aberrant choice stand out all the more was that Season 2 didn’t get to finish on its own terms. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 May 2026
Noun
An adventure without a modicum of agenda, absent any aspirations, aberrant or apposite. — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for aberrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aberrant
  1. unusual
  2. abnormal
  3. deviant
  4. extraordinary
  5. unnatural
  6. eccentric
  7. exceptional
  8. unique
Adjective
  • Six months after Vincent’s suicide, Theo died from the ravages of syphilis, leaving Jo a young widow with a baby to support, not much money, and an unusual inheritance—Vincent’s paintings—more than 400 in total.
    — Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
  • While his neighbors weren’t alarmed enough by the unusual sight to call security, Abrams wasn’t as lucky during filming at Radford Studios in Studio City.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of unusual
Adjective
  • According to MedlinePlus, normal pressure hydrocephalus is an abnormal or excessive buildup of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain, which can impact brain function, cause walking or gait changes, or incontinence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • About one in 10 screening mammograms come back abnormal, but roughly 90% of those findings turn out to be benign.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of abnormal
Noun
  • 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
  • Tolerating deviant behavior is the same as saying that behavior is acceptable.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of deviant
Adjective
  • View gallery - 4 images For all the extraordinary things that consumer 3D printers can produce, changing color has remained a surprisingly messy business.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Explore its waterfalls, glaciers and volcanic landscapes, and treat any aurora sightings as an extraordinary bonus.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of extraordinary
Adjective
  • That amounts to unchecked growth resulting in relatively dense stands, which are unnatural for this part of the country — despite becoming a familiar sight to Coloradans over the last few decades.
    — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The California Department of Public Health said animals with rabies will often have strange or unnatural behavior.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of unnatural
Noun
  • The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of eccentric
Adjective
  • When machines can instantly replicate the average, the only true moat is the exceptional.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Brewers have an exceptional amount of talent too, and Murphy's routine of pretending like his team is a bunch of humble farmers who were playing stickball out back a few days ago is absurd and offensive.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of exceptional
Adjective
  • But only United States has this unique intelligence to say, to tell us, to tell our side when Russia uses ballistic missiles.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Revamping a historic building with unique architecture has posed some difficulties, said Karademas.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of unique

Browse Nearby Words

abecedarians
aberrant
aberrants
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Cite this Entry

“Aberrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aberrant. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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