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to deviate

to deviate

51 5.8
To change direction or move away from a planned route
  • verb
  • /ˈdiːvieɪt/
translation icon : desviarse (de)
  • In neither case did they elect to deviate from the majority position.
  • deviate from the norm
  • deviate from expectations
  • deviate significantly

The NRC wouldn't let us because it meant deviating from their their regulations.

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Examples

  • But we can identify many countries that deviate from the overall statistical trend.

    Academic text (1992)
  • But if you deviate from the process in any way...

  • So if you deviate from there, it's hard to find your place.

  • So it's being willing to deviate from your talk to actually give more value.

  • Although these rules facilitate administration, the outcome is likely to deviate more from the initial purpose.

    Academic text (1991)
  • But I think most people's priorities deviate from those two things substantially.

  • Such implementations, however, deviate from the scope of the current work.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The philosophical assumptions resulted in a research strategy deviating from the prevailing one.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Sometimes it doesn't matter how unpopular you get, you just can't deviate from what you believe in.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • To be successful, it is important not to deviate from the established guidelines.

Synonyms

to vary
vsto deviate
239 2.5

Be different depending on the time or situation

means turning aside from a course or norm as a specific action
to differ
vsto deviate
152 2.6

To be different from another person or thing in some way

involves actively turning away from a course or standard rather than mere difference
to depart
vsto deviate
  • Formal
62 4.1

To move away from a plan or the usual way

focuses on turning aside from a course or norm in general contexts
to diverge
vsto deviate
19 6.8

To move apart and also become different, like roads or opinions

is about a single turning away from a norm rather than slow branching

Antonyms

96 3.2

Think and act like other people or follow rules

Phrasal Verbs

To do something different from the plan

How Different

to flout
12 7.9
to deviate
51 5.8
to diverge
19 6.8
to stray
70 2.8
to conform
96 3.2

Surface Forms

deviate infinitive
deviated past
deviated past participle
deviating present participle
deviates third person singular

Morphology

deviate = de + viate

The verb can be parsed as de- + a Latin combining form (via/viat), giving the sense 'turn away', but the root 'viate' is not a standalone modern English morpheme, so the decomposition is only partially helpful for learners.

Etymology

Deviate as a verb comes from de- 'away' and via 'way', like a road turning off the main route; so to deviate is to move away from a planned route, rule, or normal way.