deviant 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdē-vē-ənt How to pronounce deviant (audio)
Definition of deviantnext
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

deviant

2 of 2

noun

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 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 deviant
Adjective
By looking into how errors accumulated and how deviant the answers were from those expected, the researchers were able to get valuable insights into how the physical system was working. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026 The central and longest section presents the Guru’s grievances against Aurangzeb in the style of a Sufi pir (spiritual guide) addressing a deviant murid (disciple), indicting the emperor for violating the oath and sanctioning the murder of Gobind Singh’s sons. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 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
  1. abnormal
  2. maverick
  3. unnatural
  4. eccentric
Adjective
  • For the 18-year-old, who was diagnosed with the congenital heart condition Wolff-Parkinson-White at 15 years old, the episode wasn’t abnormal.
    — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
  • Follow-up care at the now-familiar UCSF confirmed severe precancerous dysplasia, or abnormal cells that, if left untreated, could develop into cancer.
    — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of abnormal
Noun
  • The Met’s next fashion exhibition at the Costume Institute will feature British fashion maverick John Galliano.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
  • Committed to experimentation and interdisciplinary practice, New Frontier FLUX radically pushes at formal cinematic boundaries to champion and cultivate maverick, independent storytelling.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 29 July 2026
Definition of maverick
Adjective
  • This is a standard procedure for unnatural deaths in Jackson County, not necessarily an indication that a crime was committed or is suspected.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 22 July 2026
  • The Victorian era was awash in handwringing about the loss of male vigor (some of which was blamed on the unnatural intellectual pursuits of women).
    — Elizabeth Dray, STAT, 21 July 2026
Definition of unnatural
Noun
  • 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.
    — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 22 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026
Definition of eccentric

Browse Nearby Words

deviances
deviant
deviants
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deviant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviant. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on deviant

Nglish: Translation of deviant for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All