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
Synonyms
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
There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio.
—
Katrina Michalak, The Arizona Republic, 5 Aug. 2024
Arkin told jurors that Menendez held meetings with Egyptian officials that she had not been told of, a deviation from normal practice.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 28 June 2024
In a dramatic deviation from the staid (remarkably congressional) proceedings, the Methodists began to sing.
—Laura Bullard, Vox, 14 May 2024
The broken blades were a variety of different sizes and types, and the company’s investigations revealed there were different root causes for the damage, including transportation, handling, and manufacturing deviations, according to a company source with knowledge of the investigations.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN, 20 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for deviation 
Katrina Michalak, The Arizona Republic, 5 Aug. 2024
Arkin told jurors that Menendez held meetings with Egyptian officials that she had not been told of, a deviation from normal practice.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 28 June 2024
In a dramatic deviation from the staid (remarkably congressional) proceedings, the Methodists began to sing.
—Laura Bullard, Vox, 14 May 2024
The broken blades were a variety of different sizes and types, and the company’s investigations revealed there were different root causes for the damage, including transportation, handling, and manufacturing deviations, according to a company source with knowledge of the investigations.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN, 20 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for deviation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deviation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deviation
Cite this Entry
“Deviation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deviation. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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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