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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
Notably, state self-evaluation and negative affect emerged as the most influential mediators for task performance and deviant behavior, respectively.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 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 1972 thriller film Deliverance showed rural residents in a much harsher light, turning them into criminal, deviant villains.
—Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
Notably, state self-evaluation and negative affect emerged as the most influential mediators for task performance and deviant behavior, respectively.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deviant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviant
Adjective
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Researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark followed 1,200 patients at high risk for ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) who already had tiny implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in their chests.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Unlike traditional software tools that cannot detect unusual activity if legitimate login credentials are used, hardware-level security can detect unusual access patterns—like mass file transfers or abnormal read/write activity—at the physical layer.—
Camellia Chan,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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One is Shinjiro Koizumi, the 44-year-old son of maverick former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who led the country from 2001 to 2006.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
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In the early 70s, the British maverick had already made a name for himself with Deliverance, which was the kind of artsy genre flick championed by a New Hollywood whose directors owed more to the European arthouse than to classic studio fare.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In its world premiere, SECOND NATURE challenges the notion that queerness is unnatural, by turning to nature itself — and the science that dismantles the myth of the gender binary.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
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Stories abound in folklore of the unnatural taking the place of the natural.—
Adam Verner
September 3,
Literary Hub,
3 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 Sep. 2025.
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