deviation
noun
de·vi·a·tion
ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shən 
: an act or instance of deviating: such as
a
navigation
: deflection of the needle of a compass caused by local magnetic influences (as in a ship)
b
mathematics
: the difference between a value in a frequency distribution and a fixed number (such as the mean)
c
: departure from an established ideology or party line
deviation from Communist orthodoxy
d
: noticeable or marked departure from accepted norms (see norm sense 2) of behavior
Examples of deviation in a Sentence
There have been slight deviations in the satellite's orbit.
Having juice instead of coffee was a deviation from his usual routine.
The pattern's deviation from the norm is significant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Because in the grand symphony of automotive manufacturing, this sneaky little data gremlin slipped past quality checks, and the deviation was written off as statistical noise.
—
Raghu Para, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
However, the deviation came up front, where Gonzalo Plata, who is more of a winger than a centre-forward, started in place of Pedro.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Such recurring deviations from the rules, even when justified, have bred disorder and uncertainty.
—Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025
In the solid terms of experimental deviations from its predictions, this century has seen the rise and fall of many false alarms.
—Eleni Petrakou, Scientific American, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deviation
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Raghu Para, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
However, the deviation came up front, where Gonzalo Plata, who is more of a winger than a centre-forward, started in place of Pedro.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Such recurring deviations from the rules, even when justified, have bred disorder and uncertainty.
—Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025
In the solid terms of experimental deviations from its predictions, this century has seen the rise and fall of many false alarms.
—Eleni Petrakou, Scientific American, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deviation
Cite this Entry
“Deviation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deviation. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deviation
noun
de·vi·a·tion
ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shən
: an act or instance of deviating: as
a
: the difference found by subtracting some fixed number (as the arithmetic mean of a series of statistical data) from any item of the series
b
: noticeable difference from accepted standards (as of behavior or morals)
Medical Definition
deviation
noun
de·vi·a·tion
ˌdē-vē-ˈā-shən
: an act or instance of diverging from an established way or in a new direction: as
a
: evolutionary differentiation involving interpolation of new stages in the ancestral pattern of morphogenesis
b
: noticeable or marked departure from accepted norms of behavior
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