deviates
Turns off course
Deviates means to stray from a path, norm, or standard.
A river deviates from its usual course; a speaker deviates from prepared remarks; behavior deviates from expectations.
The results deviated significantly from predictions.
As a noun (DEE-vee-it), a deviate is someone who differs from accepted norms, especially sexually—now dated and clinical-sounding.
Turns off course
- swervesTurns sharply aside
- divergesMoves apart from
- branchesLimbs of trees
- forksMulti-pronged eating implements
splits · departs · strays · wanders · drifts · detours · deflects · turns
Wanders or homeless animals
- miscalculatesFigures incorrectly
- misstepsMistakes or errors
- blundersSerious mistakes from carelessness
- faltersLoses steadiness or confidence
slips · errs · mistakes · misses · wanders · digresses · lapses · stumbles
Is unlike another
- fluctuatesVaries irregularly over time
- variesChanges in amount
- changesAlterations or transitions
- altersMakes something different
shifts · modifies · adjusts · wavers · oscillates · swings · ranges · diversifies
veers
Turns off course
forks · splits · departs · strays · wanders · drifts · detours · deflects · turns · curves
strays
Wanders or homeless animals
- miscalculatesFigures incorrectly
- misstepsMistakes or errors
- blundersSerious mistakes from carelessness
falters · slips · errs · mistakes · misses · wanders · digresses · lapses · stumbles · fails
differs
Is unlike another
- fluctuatesVaries irregularly over time
- variesChanges in amount
- changesAlterations or transitions
alters · shifts · modifies · adjusts · wavers · oscillates · swings · ranges · diversifies · transforms
distorts
Misrepresents or deforms
perverts · corrupts · deforms · mutates · contorts · disfigures · misshapes
rebels
Armed opposition fighters
- dissentsExpresses formal disagreement
- defiesOpenly resists or challenges
- resistsActively withstands force
challenges · bucks · flouts · disobeys · transgresses · breaks · violates · opposes · rejects · contradicts
- standard deviationSpread around the mean
- deviated septumMisaligned nasal partition
deviate, deviation, deviating, deviated, deviations, deviator, standard deviation