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

The one thing that would cause him to deviate would be a sharp and dangerous economic slowdown, ideally combined with a slump in inflation.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

“We have not received any indication that the U.S. administration intends to deviate from those commitments,” said the spokesman, Olof Gill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

Speeches that deviate from the ubiquitous laundry list of thank yous always get more attention, whether they’re political or not, for the simple reason that they’re so dang unusual.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

"We have not received any indication that the US administration intends to deviate from those commitments," Gill said.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

They become unstable and have a tendency to unsettle the mood because they deviate from comfortable convention, seeking relationships with unfamiliar chords.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• depart
• differ
• diverge
• vary
• veer