deviant
/ˈdiːviənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdiːviənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdē-vē-ənt/ (ame, mw) · /ˈdiː.vi.ənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdiː.vi.ənt/ (ame, ipa)
deviant — adjective
- deviantpositive
- more deviantcomparative
- most deviantsuperlative
1. describing actions or ways of behaving that stand far outside the moral or socia
describing actions or ways of behaving that stand far outside the moral or social standards most people in a community accept.
The study examined how certain groups are labelled deviant by those in power.
passive: labelled + deviant + by + agent
Élise's therapist said teenage rebellion is rarely deviant — just a normal part of growing up.
collocation: deviant behaviour with contrast structure (rarely…; it is…)
After Maya wore a black armband to class, the school punished her for deviant conduct.
Carlos once called his son's long hair deviant, but later he accepted the style as normal.
- abnormal
more neutral, often used in medical/statistical contexts without the same moral weight
- unconventional
less negative — implies creative or voluntary non-conformity rather than unacceptable behaviour
- nonconformist
focuses on refusing to follow society's rules rather than on being socially unacceptable
- normal
the opposite in the sense of conforming to what most people accept
- conventional
following accepted customs and standards
文法句型
deviant + noun (behaviour / conduct / pattern)
label / consider + object + (as) deviant
用法筆記
Very common in sociology, criminology, and psychology. The word carries a strong judgement — it labels something as outside what a group accepts. Less formal alternatives: odd, unusual, out of line.
常見錯誤
deviant — noun
- deviantsingular
- deviantsplural
1. a person whose actions, beliefs, or way of life are very different from what mos
a person whose actions, beliefs, or way of life are very different from what most people in a society consider normal and acceptable.
In the novel, Takeshi becomes a deviant by refusing to obey his village's unjust rules.
collocation: become a deviant + by + verb-ing (cause)
Reema argued that 'deviant' labels say more about the labeler than the person described.
collocation: label + someone + a deviant + that-clause
A documentary followed three people the media branded sexual deviants until a court cleared them.
Society often treats political activists as deviants when they challenge long-held beliefs.
- nonconformist
less negative — suggests someone who chooses not to follow the crowd rather than someone who violates norms
- rebel
more active — implies open resistance against authority, not just difference
- outcast
focuses on the result (being rejected by a group) rather than the behaviour itself
- conformist
someone who follows society's rules and expectations
- traditionalist
someone who actively upholds established customs and values
文法句型
label + noun + (as) a deviant
treat + noun + as a deviant
用法筆記
When not modified (e.g., sexual deviant), the noun can feel vague or overly harsh. Many writers prefer labelling the specific behaviour ('his actions' / 'her choices') rather than the whole person, because 'deviant' reduces someone to a single trait.