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Synonyms

abnormality

American  
[ab-nawr-mal-i-tee] / ˌæb nɔrˈmæl ɪ ti /

noun

  • abnormalities
    plural
  1. an abnormal condition, state, or quality; irregularity; deviation.

    Synonyms:
    idiosyncrasy, oddity, peculiarity, aberration, anomaly
  2. an abnormal thing or event.


abnormality British  
/ ˌæbnɔːˈmælɪtɪ /

noun

  1. an abnormal feature, event, etc

  2. a physical malformation; deformity

  3. deviation from the typical or usual; irregularity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of abnormality

First recorded in 1850–55; abnormal + -ity

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The surrogate, named M.W. in court filings but who has identified herself publicly as McKenna West, said she had been pressured by the couple to have an abortion after a fetal scan diagnosed the abnormality.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Taken together, the researchers say these findings suggest that this metabolic abnormality may actively contribute to Alzheimer's disease rather than simply occur as a consequence of it.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026

The Huskies, the defending national champions with a strong recruiting pipeline and unmatched success during Auriemma’s tenure, are somewhat of an abnormality to the changing of the guard in the NCAA.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

“There is an abnormality with this trial and how the competitor product has done, it’s neither in their label or their own trials.”

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 23, 2026

There’s no magic about her that I can see, or any abnormality.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Much Alzheimer's research has traditionally focused on these abnormalities, but scientists are increasingly studying additional processes that may contribute to the disease.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026

Then in August, the shares plunged after the agency placed the therapy on clinical hold when spinal scans turned up abnormalities in some trial participants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

No immediate abnormalities were recorded at nuclear power plants, the Nuclear Regulation Authority said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Last month, the DMV sent letters to around 11,000 drivers who had passed the written test informing them that abnormalities were detected in their results.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

The first investigators to trace chromosome abnormalities all the way to actual malignancy were Albert Levan and John J. Biesele, working at the Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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