deviate

American  

[dee-vee-eyt, dee-vee-it] / ˈdi viˌeɪt, ˈdi vi ɪt /

verb (used without object)

deviated, deviating

1. to turn aside, as from a route, way, course, etc.

   Synonyms:

   stray, wander, veer

2. to depart or swerve, as from a procedure, course of action, or acceptable norm.

3. to digress, as from a line of thought or reasoning.

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verb (used with object)

deviated, deviating

1. to cause to swerve; turn aside.

adjective

1. characterized by deviation or departure from an accepted norm or standard, as of behavior.

noun

1. a person or thing that departs from the accepted norm or standard.

2. a person whose sexual behavior departs from the norm in a way that is considered socially or morally unacceptable.

3. Statistics. a variable equal to the difference between a variate and some fixed value, often the mean.

deviate British  

verb

1. (usually intr) to differ or diverge or cause to differ or diverge, as in belief or thought

2. (usually intr) to turn aside or cause to turn aside; diverge or cause to diverge

3. (intr) psychol to depart from an accepted standard or convention

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noun

1. another word for deviant

Related Words

Deviate, digress, diverge, swerve imply turning or going aside from a path. To deviate is to turn or wander, often by slight degrees, from what is considered the most direct or desirable approach to a given physical, intellectual, or moral end: Fear caused him to deviate from the truth. To digress is primarily to wander from the main theme or topic in writing or speaking: Some authors digress to relate entertaining episodes. Two paths diverge when they proceed from a common point in such directions that the distance between them increases: The sides of an angle diverge from a common point. Their interests gradually diverged. To swerve is to make a sudden or sharp turn from a line or course: The car swerved to avoid striking a pedestrian.

Other Word Forms

• deviability
  noun
• deviable
  adjective
• deviator
  noun
• deviatory
  adjective
• nondeviating
  adjective
• undeviable
  adjective
• undeviated
  adjective
• undeviating
  adjective
• undeviatingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of deviate

First recorded in 1625–35; from Late Latin dēviātus “turned from the road,” past participle of dēviāre “to stray, turn from the road,” from Latin dē- de- + vi(a) “road, way” + āre, infinitive verb suffix

Explanation

If something turns off course or is diverted, it deviates from the expected or the norm. Deviating from explicit recipe directions is never a good idea, unless you want inedible food or a kitchen fire. The verb deviate can refer to divergence from a predicted path or road ("the airplane's route deviated from the flight plan"), but it can also refer to a divergence from normal behavior or expectations. When women demanded the right to vote, their behavior was considered shocking and deviated from the expectations of the time.

Example Sentences

Deviate has also teamed up with the Industry Club of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan to provide paid internships.

From New York Times • Feb. 3, 2022

Puma has the Deviate Nitro, a product Gulden calls the “carbon shoe for everyone.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2021

It is Gen Z “who are driving these hits – not the festival generation,” says Sammy Andrews of Deviate Digital marketing agency.

From The Guardian • Jul. 16, 2020

In Deviate, neuroscientist Beau Lotto presents a complete reversal of the Lockean stance.

From Nature • Apr. 18, 2017

Deviate the course of canals to flood the cellars of the museums!...

From The Book of This and That by Lynd, Robert

Related Words

• depart
• differ
• diverge
• vary
• veer