Examples of deviance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Any factor – abuse, neglect, deviance, bullying – might have different influences on different people, and new experiences can modify perceptions positively or negatively.
—
Alaa Elassar, CNN, 24 July 2023
People in those societies don’t tolerate deviance and generally follow the rules.
—Michele Gelfand, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021
Sloman, who had a master’s degree in deviance and criminology from the University of Wisconsin, had begun his time on the tour reporting for Rolling Stone.
—Robert Greenfield, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Apr. 2023
The reason reality shows about hoarding flourished a decade ago, the critic Scott Herring has argued, is that hoarding was a special case in which the larger culture tipped into definable deviance.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper’s Magazine , 7 Dec. 2021
One study found that people littered in their work environments as an act of deviance against their employer.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2023
After the actual census data was released in August, Republicans said their analysis showed the map passed in May had a population deviance of 30% between its most populated and least populated House districts — at odds with a 10% variance allowed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
—Rick Pearson, chicagotribune.com, 1 Sep. 2021
Oleksiy Makeev, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany was also there, and raised his fist in deviance when the camera panned to him.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2023
Instead of turning men into hardworking teetotalers, Prohibition encouraged new kinds of social deviance, such as organized crime.
—Trysh Travis, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2021
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Alaa Elassar, CNN, 24 July 2023
People in those societies don’t tolerate deviance and generally follow the rules.
—Michele Gelfand, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021
Sloman, who had a master’s degree in deviance and criminology from the University of Wisconsin, had begun his time on the tour reporting for Rolling Stone.
—Robert Greenfield, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Apr. 2023
The reason reality shows about hoarding flourished a decade ago, the critic Scott Herring has argued, is that hoarding was a special case in which the larger culture tipped into definable deviance.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper’s Magazine , 7 Dec. 2021
One study found that people littered in their work environments as an act of deviance against their employer.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2023
After the actual census data was released in August, Republicans said their analysis showed the map passed in May had a population deviance of 30% between its most populated and least populated House districts — at odds with a 10% variance allowed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
—Rick Pearson, chicagotribune.com, 1 Sep. 2021
Oleksiy Makeev, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany was also there, and raised his fist in deviance when the camera panned to him.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2023
Instead of turning men into hardworking teetotalers, Prohibition encouraged new kinds of social deviance, such as organized crime.
—Trysh Travis, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deviance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1941, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near deviance
Cite this Entry
“Deviance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deviance. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
deviance
noun
de·vi·ance
ˈdē-vē-ən(t)s 
: quality, state, or behavior that differs from what is normal or accepted
Medical Definition
deviance
noun
de·vi·ance
ˈdē-vē-ən(t)s
: deviant quality, state, or behavior
More from Merriam-Webster on deviance
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for deviance
Britannica English: Translation of deviance for Arabic Speakers
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