as in abnormal
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
some studies show that many violent criminals begin exhibiting deviant behavior in early childhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in maverick
a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs
branded as social deviants by a society that did not value self-expression
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deviant
Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 30 May 2024
The group was aware — perhaps even proud — of the deviant nature of their messaging.
—Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2023
Alex Hinton, The Conversation, 17 June 2025
The public believed this story of intentionality so completely that every shark bite was essentially a murder, and every shark a potential murderer, and the beach was the scene of a crime by a deviant monster against innocent beachgoers.
—Chris Pepin-Neff, Scientific American, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deviant
Adjective
Maynard taught at various schools, including as an adjunct faculty member in Santa Clara University’s sociology department and as a lecturer at Sonoma State University specializing in criminal justice, cults and deviant behavior.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 30 May 2024
The group was aware — perhaps even proud — of the deviant nature of their messaging.
—Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2023
Noun
The lone wolf myth also suggests that extremists are abnormal deviants with anti-social personalities.
—Alex Hinton, The Conversation, 17 June 2025
The public believed this story of intentionality so completely that every shark bite was essentially a murder, and every shark a potential murderer, and the beach was the scene of a crime by a deviant monster against innocent beachgoers.
—Chris Pepin-Neff, Scientific American, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deviant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviant
Adjective
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With sepsis, the immune system has an abnormal response to an infection — either too exuberant or too minimal.—
Dr. Marc Siegel , Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
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Cleveland is winding through an abnormal week in the middle of a uniquely brutal three-game stretch and searching for offensive answers of any kind.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Arsham Splash dovetails into Hublot’s longstanding maverick approach but also into a growing watchmaking trend of offering pieces that break away from traditional high-end watchmaking.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
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Henry Jaglom, the maverick auteur who crafted deeply intimate and unconventional films that explored the intricacies of relationships and the quirkiness of human behavior, has died.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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However, his unnatural exit from the sport made headlines in his final season at the Bahrain Grand Prix through an incident that reminded everyone about the dangers of motorsport.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
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Imitating the speech or body language of others during a conversation is another form of masking, along with forcing eye contact or facial expressions, which may feel unnatural.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For Mimi Pond, the desire to do a book about the Mitford sisters – six larger-than-life British eccentrics (and one brother) who created a stir in both British and American culture – was obvious.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
5 Sep. 2025
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For decades, sovereign citizens largely flew under the radar in Australia as relatively harmless eccentrics with a special interest in conspiracy theories.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deviant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviant. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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