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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of deviant
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, a deviant killer operating in the yakuza underworld seems to be shadowing their moves.
—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
1 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Among them is a singer (Kiernan Shipka) making a living as an exotic dancer, who, after becoming Sheridan’s victim, joins them in their battle to rein in the young deviant.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deviant
Adjective
All there is to do, sometimes, is know in your heart of hearts that a nuanced piece of literature and a provocative and deviant piece of pop culture can exist alongside each other without one diminishing the other.
—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, a deviant killer operating in the yakuza underworld seems to be shadowing their moves.
—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
White segregationists and liberals have outed Black people as deviant to maintain their claims to normalcy and socioeconomic dominance.
—
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Among them is a singer (Kiernan Shipka) making a living as an exotic dancer, who, after becoming Sheridan’s victim, joins them in their battle to rein in the young deviant.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deviant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviant
Adjective
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Haney reminded jurors that despising the rich isn’t a crime, much less an abnormal opinion.
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Others develop dangerous fluctuations in blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms because the autonomic nervous system becomes affected.
Noun
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His maverick persona and armored storm-chasing vehicle, the Dominator 3 — featured on Jay Leno’s Garage — directly inspired the character of Tyler Owens, played by Glen Powell in the 2024 summer blockbuster Twisters.
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In a way, the fact that Huston was made up of two halves — one part iconoclastic maverick, one part old school craftsman — gave him an edge his fellow septuagenarians lacked.
Adjective
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The problem is, mainstream science and society have been slow to move away from the narrative that all animals copulate only for reproduction, any same-sex activity is purely anomalous (and unnatural), and every species is male-dominated.
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While there are certain products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.
Noun
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With its loose ends and digressions, Dream Me a Dream stays true to those idiosyncratic instincts while retaining enough of the welcoming glow of Dance of Love to make this an affecting farewell from an endearing eccentric.
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The eccentric cuz is quick to try and help Bobby solve problems, which often gets him into trouble, but ultimately pushes him out of his shell.
Cite this Entry
“Deviant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviant. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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