deviation
gb/dˌiviˈeɪʃən/ us/dˌiviˈeɪʃən/
B2
English
~ 9100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
action
1
departure from what is usual or expected
A change from what is normal, usual, or planned, especially in how someone acts or in how something is done.
Usage pattern:
a deviation from [a plan/standard/rule/normal]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *deviation* when they simply mean *difference* in a neutral way. *Deviation* often suggests moving away from what is expected or officially correct, sometimes with a negative feeling. Also, learners may confuse *deviation* (countable: a deviation from the rules) with *deviance* (uncountable, more about socially or morally abnormal behavior).
Synonyms
departure (Very close in meaning; often used in formal contexts for change from a usual way of doing things.)
|
divergence (Stresses moving in a different direction, often in opinions or trends.)
|
variation (More neutral and broader; may suggest natural difference rather than breaking rules or expectations.)
Antonyms
conformity (Emphasizes behaving or doing things in the way that is usual or expected by a group or system.)
|
adherence (Focuses on sticking closely to rules, plans, or standards without change.)
Collocations
deviation from the norm
|any deviation from
|no deviation from
|slight deviation
|major deviation
|policy deviation
Themes
work
|law
|education
|general
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Any deviation from the safety procedure must be reported immediately.
- The new policy marks a clear deviation from the company’s traditional approach.
- There was a slight deviation from the script, but the audience didn’t notice.
- Teachers are not allowed much deviation from the official curriculum.
- His behavior at the meeting was a surprising deviation from his usual calm manner.
Learner examples
- There can be no deviation from the rules in this test.
- The coach will not allow any deviation from the plan.
- Her sudden anger was a big deviation from her normal friendly style.
- This year we saw a deviation from our normal working hours.
- A small deviation from the plan caused a lot of problems.
unknown
technical
C1
quantity
2
difference from a reference value
How far a number or measurement is from a target, rule, or average value.
Usage pattern:
the deviation of [a value] from [a standard/target]
Common mistake:
Learners may mix this technical sense with the general idea of *deviation from the norm*. In scientific or statistical writing, *deviation* often refers to a specific measured difference, not just any unusual result. Also, some learners confuse *standard deviation* with *average*; these are different statistics.
Synonyms
difference (Very general; does not always imply a formal comparison with a standard as strongly as *deviation* does.)
|
discrepancy (Suggests a noticeable or worrying difference between values that should agree.)
|
variance (In statistics, a related technical term for a specific measure of spread; broader than a single deviation.)
Antonyms
accuracy (Opposite in the sense that high accuracy means having very little or no deviation from the correct value.)
|
exactness (Emphasizes having no meaningful deviation at all from a required value or standard.)
Collocations
standard deviation
|small deviation
|large deviation
|measurement deviation
|angle of deviation
|acceptable deviation
Themes
science
|math
|engineering
|statistics
|technology
|education
Examples
- The deviation of the measured temperature from the expected value was less than one degree.
- Engineers allowed a deviation of up to two millimeters in the final dimensions.
- The graph shows a sharp deviation from the historical trend after 2010.
- We observed only a minor deviation between the predicted and actual results.
- Standard deviation is used to describe how much the data deviate from the mean.
Learner examples
- There is a small deviation between the test value and the target value.
- Scientists checked the deviation of each result from the average number.
- The machine can work with a deviation of plus or minus one percent.
- We saw a big deviation in the data for that one day.
- The company does not accept any deviation from the required size.
Noun
C1
quantity
3
path or course going off line
How far a road, line, or movement goes away from the planned way or a straight line.
Usage pattern:
a deviation in/from [a course/path/route]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this sense is usually used in technical or careful descriptions of routes, vehicles, or lines. In everyday speech, people often say *turn*, *change direction*, or *go off course* instead of *make a deviation*.
Synonyms
deflection (Often more technical; emphasizes being pushed or turned away from an original direction.)
|
drift (Suggests a slow, often unplanned movement away from the intended course.)
Antonyms
alignment (Focuses on being correctly in line with an intended path or reference line.)
|
straight course (Describes movement without bending or turning away from the planned route.)
Collocations
course deviation
|lane deviation
|route deviation
|slight deviation to the left
|track deviation
Themes
travel
|transport
|navigation
|transportation
|space
Examples
- The pilot corrected a slight deviation to the left before landing.
- The GPS alarm sounded when the truck showed a lane deviation.
- Our train made a brief deviation from the usual route due to track repairs.
- Engineers measured the deviation of the bridge from its original alignment.
- The missile’s deviation from its planned course was less than one degree.
Learner examples
- The car made a small deviation from its lane.
- There was a short deviation from the normal bus route.
- The ship’s deviation to the east was caused by strong wind.
- The driver fixed the deviation and went back to the center of the road.
- The map shows a deviation of the road around the lake.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
4
behavior seen as morally or sexually abnormal
Behavior, often sexual, that people in a society see as very different from what they think is normal or acceptable.
Usage pattern:
a deviation in [someone’s behavior/sexual behavior]
Common mistake:
Learners may use this sense in everyday situations where it sounds too strong or judgmental. In modern English, this sense is often avoided or used carefully because it can sound negative or outdated; words like *unusual behavior* or *non‑traditional* are often preferred unless the context is clearly critical or academic.
Synonyms
deviance (Very close in meaning; used more in sociology and psychology to talk about socially abnormal behavior.)
|
perversion (Much stronger and more negative; often used only for extreme or morally shocking sexual behavior.)
Antonyms
normality (Highlights behavior that fits common social or moral expectations.)
|
conformity (Emphasizes behaving in ways that follow social or moral rules rather than breaking them.)
Collocations
sexual deviation
|moral deviation
|social deviation
|serious deviation
|psychological deviation
Themes
psychology
|society
|ethics
|relationships
|law
Examples
- The report argued that what is called sexual deviation is often simply non‑traditional behavior.
- Older medical texts sometimes described homosexuality as a deviation or disorder.
- The film explores the line between harmless fantasy and dangerous deviation.
- Modern psychologists are careful about labeling behavior as deviation without considering cultural context.
- In that strict community, even small deviations in dress were seen as moral deviation.
Learner examples
- Some people still call many kinds of sexual behavior a deviation.
- The book talks about how ideas of deviation change over time.
- Psychologists today do not quickly call something a deviation.
- He was punished for what the group saw as moral deviation.
- What one culture calls deviation, another culture may see as normal.
Grammar
Dictionary form
deviation
IPA
GB/dˌiviˈeɪʃən/
US/dˌiviˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
de - vi - ation (3 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ation)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: deviation
- Plural: deviation, deviations
Word family
Expressions
deviation from the norm
1/dˌiviˈeɪʃən fɹˈʌm ðə nˈɔɹm/
fixed phrase
being different from what is typical
A way of saying that something is different from what is usual or expected in a group, place, or time.
Examples
- In this quiet town, staying out late is a real deviation from the norm.
- Her decision to work abroad was a clear deviation from the norm in her family.
no deviation from
1/nˈoʊ dˌiviˈeɪʃən fɹˈʌm/
fixed phrase
insisting on exact compliance
Used to say that someone must follow rules, a plan, or a standard exactly, without any change.
Examples
- There can be no deviation from the schedule during the exam.
- Management has ordered no deviation from the safety guidelines.
standard deviation
1/stˈændɚd dˌiviˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
statistical measure of data spread
In statistics, a number that shows how spread out the values are from the average value in a group of numbers.
Examples
- We calculated the standard deviation to understand how much the scores varied.
- A low standard deviation means that most data points are close to the average.