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
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
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Recent Examples of deviant
Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2026
Crucially, Margaret Hamilton’s iconic Wicked Witch used her phallic broom to stalk her prey — marking her both deviant and masculine, challenging the wizard through her independence and mobility.
—Time, 21 Nov. 2025
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
Adjective
Meanwhile, a deviant killer operating in the yakuza underworld seems to be shadowing their moves.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2026
Crucially, Margaret Hamilton’s iconic Wicked Witch used her phallic broom to stalk her prey — marking her both deviant and masculine, challenging the wizard through her independence and mobility.
—Time, 21 Nov. 2025
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
Adjective
-
Due to difficulties finding a suitable donor [for the transplant], Caitlin suffered an abnormal relapse and the cancer returned to her skin.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
Sybil, who spent her younger years beleaguered by the presence of her double, that emblem of feminine conformity named Désirée, never manages to perceive herself as anything but abnormal by comparison.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Collins is a tough campaigner who can straddle the line as reliable party player and outspoken maverick.—
Julia Terruso,
Time,
8 June 2026
-
Over his career, he was described as a blunt, independent, outspoken politician who was a maverick, boat-rocker, loose cannon, skilled partisan, and, above all, political survivor.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
While there are certain products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
-
This is fast enough for the robot to react to environmental changes in real time without making its motions feel jerky or unnatural.—
Lee-Lean Shu,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
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But the film is really a tour of a pre-gentrified East Village, full of low-key bars and cafes, run-down apartments, eccentrics and struggling artists.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Once a stronghold of canneries and lumber mills, the town has numerous tumbledown Victorians that have long been havens for artists, brewers, and various eccentrics—along with fans of The Goonies, who make pilgrimages to see where the seminal movie was shot.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deviant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deviant. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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