deviate 1 of 3

deviate

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noun

deviate

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verb

as in to turn
to change one's course or direction sailors forced to deviate from their course in order to avoid the storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deviate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of deviate are depart, digress, diverge, swerve, and veer. While all these words mean "to turn aside from a straight course," deviate implies a turning from a customary or prescribed course.

never deviated from her daily routine

When is it sensible to use depart instead of deviate?

Although the words depart and deviate have much in common, depart suggests a deviation from a traditional or conventional course or type.

occasionally departs from his own guidelines

When is digress a more appropriate choice than deviate?

While the synonyms digress and deviate are close in meaning, digress applies to a departing from the subject of one's discourse.

a professor prone to digress

How do diverge and depart relate to one another, in the sense of deviate?

Diverge may equal depart but usually suggests a branching of a main path into two or more leading in different directions.

after school their paths diverged

When can swerve be used instead of deviate?

The words swerve and deviate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, swerve may suggest a physical, mental, or moral turning away from a given course, often with abruptness.

swerved to avoid hitting the dog

When might veer be a better fit than deviate?

In some situations, the words veer and deviate are roughly equivalent. However, veer implies a major change in direction.

at that point the path veers to the right

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 deviate
Adjective
Her pitch was simple: Homosexuality is a sin, and if homosexuals were given carte blanche to glamorize their ‘deviate lifestyle’ in Miami-area classrooms, the American family would be destroyed and the American way of life would disappear. Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025 Aggravating circumstances: Rape/criminal deviate conduct, on probation or parole, mutilation/torture. Tim Evans, Indianapolis Star, 31 Jan. 2014
Noun
The map shows how far the night skies in different parts of the world deviate from natural sky brightness. Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 10 June 2016 But despite the stress on the program, Campbell didn’t deviate from his core values — choosing redshirt sophomore quarterback Hunter Dekkers over anyone from the portal. Dallas News, 14 July 2022
Verb
The season 1 finale's cliffhanger deviates from the novel's definitive ending, allowing for a potential season 2. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 July 2025 This is not the first time Trump has hosted a small group of African leaders in the US, deviating from the approach of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, who hosted fuller gatherings of African heads of government while in the White House. Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for deviate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviate
Adjective
  • These numbers—like most of the company’s year-over-year comparisons—are not abnormal for the company at this stage.
    Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Lewy body dementia: This type of dementia is caused by an accumulation of Lewy bodies (a type of abnormal protein deposit) in certain areas of the brain.
    Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • What follows is a floor-by-floor descent into madness as Bobby battles bloodthirsty perverts, demonic flash mobs, and hallucinogenic suburban nightmares, all while trying to figure out if he’s meant to be the hero… or just the last guy standing.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 July 2025
  • Special-guest pervert Frank (Sam Rockwell) showcases a monologue about his autogynephilia.
    Armond White, National Review, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • And in it, the documentary crew that followed Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch for nine seasons turns its cameras on a struggling Ohio newspaper, the Toledo Truth Teller.
    Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Lopez, who was being treated for depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions, ended the rampage by turning the gun on himself when confronted by a military police officer.
    Hanna Park, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Every great defense has that type of unnatural DNA, and across the entire team, Ulbrich expressed to CNN.
    Hailey Hurst, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
  • That’s because Google’s algorithms are designed to spot and penalize unnatural link patterns.
    Nick Zviadadze, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Created by Rob Mac (formerly McElhenney, who also plays the character Mac), the Emmy-deserving series premiered 20 years ago on Aug. 4, 2005, introducing the world to a gang of morally bankrupt degenerates running the least successful bar in Philly, Paddy's Pub.
    James Mercadante, EW.com, 4 Aug. 2025
  • Novak: The fact that this group of degenerates, these bloodsucking, mass-murdering vampires and wannabe vampires, [could be] so lovable is amazing.
    Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Warner Music Group swung to a net loss of $16 million in the third quarter after reporting net income of $141 million a year earlier.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The company swung to a net income of $1.58 billion for the three months ended in June from a massive loss pushing $10 billion the year before.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Her dad used a rake, slowly attempting to pull the body out, but Johnson said the body snapped and disintegrated.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
  • Use a rake and shovel to clear leaves, sticks, and wood chips from your yard, and a leaf blower for any fine particles.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • This season, her ambitions and those of George diverged, leaving Bertha unmoored.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Advertisement Even leaving aside the matter of Russian oil, the U.S. and India have been diverging on trade, tariffs, and geopolitics.
    Salil Tripathi, Time, 8 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deviate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviate. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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