deviate
/ˈdiːvieɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdiːvieɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdē-vē-ˌāt/ (ame, mw)
deviate — verb
- deviatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- deviateshe / she / it
- deviatedpast simple
- deviating-ing form
1. to act or think in a way that is not usual, accepted, or expected — for example,
to act or think in a way that is not usual, accepted, or expected — for example, when a company's rules say one thing but an employee does another, or when a person's choices go against what most people in their community consider normal.
The chef never deviates from the original recipe his grandmother taught him.
collocation: deviate from [standard / principle / rule]
School policy says no jewellery, and Mei refuses to deviate from that rule.
Amir deviated from the script during the play and surprised everyone with a new line.
When the test results deviate from the expected pattern, the lab must run the experiment again.
文法句型
deviate + from + noun
用法筆記
Frequently followed by the preposition 'from' to state what principle or standard the subject is moving away from. The object is usually a rule, plan, standard, or expected behaviour.
常見錯誤
2. to move away from a planned route, line, or direction — used when a vehicle, per
to move away from a planned route, line, or direction — used when a vehicle, person, or natural object does not stay on the expected course.
The plane deviated from its usual flight path to avoid a storm over the Pacific.
collocation: deviate from path / route / course
Hikers were told not to deviate from the marked trail because of the loose rocks near the cliff.
The river deviates slightly to the south just past the old bridge, creating a small island.
- turn aside
more literal; describes a physical change of direction
- swerve
sudden, sharp movement; implies urgency or avoidance
- stay on course
to continue along the intended path
文法句型
deviate + from + noun (of path/location)
用法筆記
The object of 'from' is a physical path, route, or location rather than an abstract principle. Common in aviation, navigation, and hiking contexts.
常見錯誤
3. to make something move away from its original or intended direction — used when
to make something move away from its original or intended direction — used when an external force or person changes the course of an object, process, or abstract thing like attention.
A strong gust of wind deviated the arrow from its path toward the target.
transitive use: deviate + object + from + noun
The economist argued that government spending had deviated the country's development from its planned goals.
文法句型
deviate + object + from + noun
用法筆記
This transitive sense is less common than the intransitive uses (senses 1 and 2). The subject is the force or agent doing the redirecting. The object is what gets turned away.
deviate — noun
1. a person whose behaviour or beliefs are very different from what most people in
a person whose behaviour or beliefs are very different from what most people in a society consider normal or acceptable — often used in discussions of social rules, sexuality, or moral standards.
The documentary explored the lives of social deviates who chose to live outside the city's strict community rules.
collocation: social deviate / sexual deviate
In some novels from the 1950s, any character who refused marriage was labelled a deviate by the author.
- deviant
the more common modern term for a person who breaks social norms
- nonconformist
less negative; suggests independent thinking rather than wrongdoing
- conformist
someone who follows social norms and expectations
用法筆記
Can carry a negative or judgemental tone. 'Deviant' is more common for this meaning in modern usage; 'deviate' as a noun sounds slightly dated or clinical.
常見錯誤
2. a number in statistics that shows how much a single value in a set differs from
a number in statistics that shows how much a single value in a set differs from the average or from a fixed reference point — for example, how far a student's test score is from the class average.
Dr. Nakamura noticed that one exam score was a statistical deviate nearly three standard deviations above the class mean.
domain: statistics; collocation: statistical deviate; real-world data analysis context
The researchers plotted each deviate on a graph to see which data points were furthest from the mean.
pattern: plotted each deviate / calculate the deviate
- residual
another statistical term meaning the difference between an observed value and the predicted value
- error term
the part of a data point that cannot be explained by the model
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in technical statistics texts. In everyday language, 'deviation' is far more common than 'deviate' for this concept.
deviate — adjective
- deviatepositive
- more deviatecomparative
- most deviatesuperlative
1. describing behaviour or a person that is clearly different from what a particula
describing behaviour or a person that is clearly different from what a particular society accepts as normal — typically used in formal or clinical discussion of social rules.
The study examined deviate behaviour among teenagers in highly controlled school environments.
attributive use before nouns: deviate behaviour / deviate tendencies
The prison system separates inmates who show deviate tendencies from the general population for safety reasons.
- normal
conforming to the usual standards or expectations
- conventional
following accepted customs and practices
用法筆記
This adjective use is relatively rare. 'Deviant' is the standard adjective form in modern English; 'deviate' as an adjective sounds formal and slightly clinical.