deviates 1 of 2

plural of deviate

deviates

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of deviate
as in turns
to change one's course or direction sailors forced to deviate from their course in order to avoid the storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 deviates
Verb
The same fate likely awaits any presidential candidate who deviates from their line. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026 Now, Hilton rarely deviates from her signature look, of which long, perfectly curled or waved blonde hair is a key element. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 18 May 2026 However, the uptick in flights observed off the Cuban coast is new and deviates from where these aircraft have historically been deployed. Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 10 May 2026 Piker’s endorsement of Mills deviates from other progressives who have thrown their support behind Platner. Sydney Topf, The Washington Examiner, 8 Apr. 2026 But then the dream deviates, and takes me to the set of Gilligan’s Island, where Bob Denver, who originally played the part of Gilligan, has been replaced by a bearded intellectual who looks like Karl Marx combined with Cesar Romero, who played the Joker on the original Batman TV show. Literary Hub, 17 Mar. 2026 The director's take deviates from Shelley's in its emphasis on forgiveness. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 Bernthal tells me that Guirgis’s take on Dog Day Afternoon deviates from the film in key ways, such as fleshing out some of the more minor characters, including the bank staff, and going deeper on Sonny and Sal’s dynamic. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2026 The duo particularly split over the showrunner’s plan for season three which deviates from Martin’s source material in ways that Condal has suggested were pragmatic and necessary. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deviates
Noun
  • Nora Ephron for depressed perverts.
    Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Also, what many now interpret as Kubrick’s exposé of elite perverts was, in fact, mostly Schnitzler’s doing.
    Lane Brown, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026
  • For a moment, the mood turns sour.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • The product exploded, generating trillions and minting a new class of crypto degenerates who were willing to take massive risks that, occasionally, resulted in millions.
    Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
  • In all vertebrates, the thymus degenerates very rapidly with age.
    Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Check out this 1997 live TV version of Paranoid Android, which veers from lullaby to apocalypse within the space of a few minutes.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 May 2026
  • But Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed almost immediately veers off into wild subplots about murder, corruption, and corporate malfeasance, as if to emphasize that low-level romance scams are just the tip of the internet’s fetid iceberg.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Instead of those handle halves folding around close to 180 degrees to reveal a central set of pliers like many other Leathermans do, one of the Crunch's handles pulls out and swings downward via an internal arm to reveal the pliers, which in turn swing into position.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 June 2026
  • The thought swings through her, like a burning stick through night air.
    Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Zaniewska and Martinez’s approach to getting the best out of a common trait in their players also diverges.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 June 2026
  • RedNotes users This is where WorkBuddy diverges sharply from many Western counterparts.
    Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deviates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviates. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on deviates

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster