Comprehensive
Dictionary Suite
Help
Help
Help
 
     
Lookup History
deviate

de·vi·ate

deviate

 
 
parts of speech:
intransitive verb, transitive verb, adjective, noun
features:
Word Combinations (verb)
part of speech: intransitive verb
pronunciation: di vi eIt
inflections: deviates, deviating, deviated
definition 1: to turn away from a direct or prescribed course.
The rocket deviated from its charted path.
See a movie for this meaning
 
synonyms:
deflect, depart, diverge, divert, drift, stray, swerve, veer
similar words:
digress, divagate, err, maunder, meander, ramble, rove, vary, wander, warp
definition 2: to stray from typical, predicted, or average behavior.
He deviated from his usual routine on this particular morning.This school deviates from national norms with respect to test scores--the scores here are much higher.
synonyms:
depart, diverge, stray, vary
similar words:
differ, err
 
part of speech: transitive verb
definition 1: to cause to turn away from a prescribed course.
Our plane was deviated to Detroit because of fog in Chicago.
synonyms:
deflect, diverge, divert, swerve, veer
definition 2: to cause to stray from normal or accepted behavior.
similar words:
diverge
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: adjective
pronunciation: di vi iht
definition: deviant.
She was ordered to see a psychiatrist for treatment of deviate behavior.
synonyms:
aberrant, abnormal, anomalous, divergent, eccentric, irregular, variant
similar words:
errant, exceptional, odd, perverted, singular, strange
 
part of speech: noun
definition: a deviant.
A nineteenth century woman who did not want to marry would have been considered a deviate.
synonyms:
eccentric, nonconformist
similar words:
maverick, original
derivation: deviator (n.)