1
as in exception
something that is different from what is ordinary or expected
her C grade is an anomaly, as she's never made anything except A's and B's before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abnormality
a person, thing, or event that is far from normal
snow in July is an anomaly in most of the northern hemisphere
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 anomaly
The cosmic dipole anomaly has thus established itself as a major challenge to the standard cosmological model, even if the astronomical community has chosen to largely ignore it.
—
Subir Sarkar, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
The first search in November 2013 used ground-penetrating radar, which detected anomalies in the ground and could have indicated the presence of objects in the soil.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
This can affect fetal and infant health development, potentially resulting in premature birth, low birth weight and a higher risk of congenital anomalies, the report said.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Jan. 2026
The hard questions now are whether China can convert external resilience into enduring self-sustaining strength at home, and whether 2026 will mark a policy paradigm shift or whether 2025 was just an anomaly.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anomaly
Subir Sarkar, Space.com, 5 Jan. 2026
The first search in November 2013 used ground-penetrating radar, which detected anomalies in the ground and could have indicated the presence of objects in the soil.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
This can affect fetal and infant health development, potentially resulting in premature birth, low birth weight and a higher risk of congenital anomalies, the report said.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Jan. 2026
The hard questions now are whether China can convert external resilience into enduring self-sustaining strength at home, and whether 2026 will mark a policy paradigm shift or whether 2025 was just an anomaly.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anomaly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anomaly
Noun
-
That type of big-moment success was more the exception than the rule, however, in a Chiefs defensive season defined by letdowns in late, game-changing moments.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Smith maintained many of the gifts cited by Cannon fell under exceptions to the disclosure rules, including those governing charity event tickets and gifts for birthdays or holidays.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Two regional electric power companies said no abnormalities have been detected.—
Anthony Trotter,
ABC News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Pathologists will perform a necropsy on the mountain lions to check for abnormalities and neurological diseases like rabies and avian influenza.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The rarity of the mechanism means that legal and political challenges would be expected, and the fallout could reshape city and state politics.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The hotel honors its commitment to sustainability with an organic garden that provides fresh ingredients for the restaurant—a rarity on the island, where logistics make fresh produce difficult to come by.—
Carla Vianna,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Americans are being urged to be extra vigilant this winter, as a suite of influenza A mutations has created a dominant virus strain that's spreading more rapidly and evading our natural and therapeutic abilities to fight infection.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The mutation, known as Subclade K, now makes up most of the flu viruses detected in the United States.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In it, Oldham costumes up as a shaggy woodland monster, which—after a more nimble inhabitant seemingly swaps into the outfit—proceeds to engage a human in an elaborate dance routine.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
7 Jan. 2026
-
That mentality has fueled a monster debut season for Porter County Conference leader Kouts (12-3, 4-1).—
Noah Poser,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The other 19% constitute freaks at the far end, who read 10 or more tomes.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Juicy sobs into Athena’s arms, and Kenya freaks out about potentially having to lip sync against Juicy.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anomaly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anomaly. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share