ANOMALY Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

anomaly

noun

ə-ˈnä-mə-lē

Definition of anomaly

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

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 Powell is a 33-year-old, recent first-time All-Star, an anomaly of a player. — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 Anyone who regularly follows dark matter news knows that past tantalizing anomalies evaporated as more data came in. — ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026 Statistical anomalies One month does not a trend make, and there is some reason to doubt the data. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 Some of the main applications are anomaly detection or robotics. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anomaly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anomaly

Noun

Where Brown has a point is that teams are using the full mid-level exception (MLE) less frequently under the current CBA.

— Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026
The measure extends those protections to public ways within 1,000 feet of court facilities, while preserving an exception for arrests made under a valid judicial warrant.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of exception

Noun

Hughes’ diagnosis came after a routine mammogram in early 2017 revealed an abnormality.

— Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Routine screening guidelines generally do not apply to women under 40, and studies indicate approximately 80% of young women diagnosed with breast cancer initially detect the abnormality themselves.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of abnormality

Noun

That’s a rarity in this world where normally people have to wait two, three years for the next season.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
The chef, known for his exceptional dishes at Le Bernardin, has an equally remarkable watch collection to match—think rarities from brands such as Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, and Cartier.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of rarity

Noun

In those animals, a mutation in another gene can produce left-coiling individuals, but it is also associated with abnormal development.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
That will push conversations toward breast MRI and ultrasound as add-ons, particularly for women with family history or BRCA mutations.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of mutation

Noun

Diagnose the monster before deciding which mind and which move are required to outwit it.

— Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
That led him to snowy Deadwood, South Dakota, and a turn as local guide Gil Jackson in the horror heist movie Beast From Haunted Cave (1959), produced by Roger’s brother, Gene Corman, and featuring Chris Robinson as the monster.

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of monster

Noun

Set on the island of Cyprus in 1882, the film blends horror and folklore and revolves around Eleni, an outcast painter whose three children die in a freak accident.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
Williams was definitely letting her ex-vangelical freak flag fly on Monday night.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of freak

Browse Nearby Words

anomalousness

anomaly

anon

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Anomaly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anomaly. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of anomaly

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on anomaly

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

bon vivant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes