ANOMALOUS Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'anomalous' distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words irregular and unnatural are common synonyms of anomalous . While all three words mean "not conforming to rule, law, or custom," anomalous implies not conforming to what might be expected because of the class or type to which it belongs or the laws that govern its existence. // her drive made her an anomalous figure in a sleepy organization

Q: Where would 'irregular' be a reasonable alternative to 'anomalous'?

Although the words irregular and anomalous have much in common, irregular implies not conforming to a law or regulation imposed for the sake of uniformity in method, practice, or conduct. // concerned about his irregular behavior

Q: When is it sensible to use 'unnatural' instead of 'anomalous'?

The meanings of unnatural and anomalous largely overlap; however, unnatural suggests what is contrary to nature or to principles or standards felt to be essential to the well-being of civilized society. // prisoners treated with unnatural cruelty

anomalous

adjective

ə-ˈnä-mə-ləs

Definition of anomalous next

as in unusual

being out of the ordinary that was an anomalous year for the housing industry, so the number of starts is anything but typical

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in abnormal

departing from some accepted standard of what is normal an anomalous burst of anger from this usually easygoing person

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anomalous distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words irregular and unnatural are common synonyms of anomalous. While all three words mean "not conforming to rule, law, or custom," anomalous implies not conforming to what might be expected because of the class or type to which it belongs or the laws that govern its existence.

her drive made her an anomalous figure in a sleepy organization

Where would irregular be a reasonable alternative to anomalous?

Although the words irregular and anomalous have much in common, irregular implies not conforming to a law or regulation imposed for the sake of uniformity in method, practice, or conduct.

concerned about his irregular behavior

When is it sensible to use unnatural instead of anomalous?

The meanings of unnatural and anomalous largely overlap; however, unnatural suggests what is contrary to nature or to principles or standards felt to be essential to the well-being of civilized society.

prisoners treated with unnatural cruelty

Examples 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 anomalous There have been an anomalous number of defensive breakdowns for the Celtics in recent weeks, regardless of Jrue Holiday’s and Porziņģis’ absences. —

Jared Weiss, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024 Her identity was shaped both by her Caribbean heritage and her family’s anomalous class position. —

Benjamin Sutton, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024 Automate provisioning and de-provisioning procedures, improve threat detection and use machine learning to identify anomalous activity. —

Rohan Pinto, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 Resilience and defending normal operations, while surgically disrupting anomalous malicious behavior, is critical. —

Marcus Fowler, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anomalous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anomalous

Adjective

The viewer sees what the ghost sees, an unusual approach to the genre that pays off in a third-act twist.

— Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
That helped law enforcement make the unusual traffic stop more than an hour later.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2025