What's the difference between deviate and differ?

How do I use deviate in a sentence?

Is deviate common in academic writing?

← Dictionary

deviate

/ˈdiːvi.eɪt/

IELTSAcademic

verb

The road deviates from the river.
She deviates from the usual script.

noun

A slight deviation is expected.
Track the deviation in data.

Adinary Nuance

Near-neighbors: deviate differs from ‘stray’ (often unintended or wandering) and from ‘depart’ (more neutral). Use deviate when you want to highlight a planned or notable turn away from a standard, path, or expectation.

In other languages

Spanish: desviarse
Japanese: 逸れる
Korean: 편차
Vietnamese: đi lệch
Chinese: 偏离

Etymology

From Latin deviare ‘turn aside’, shaping how ‘deviate’ implies a purposeful or marked departure.

Common phrases

deviate from the normdeviate from the plandeviate from the topic

Synonyms

swerve turn veer stray depart

Related words

departure diversion path standard stray

Frequently asked questions

Is deviate formal or informal?: Is deviate formal or informal?
What's the difference between deviate and differ?: What's the difference between deviate and differ?
How do I use deviate in a sentence?: How do I use deviate in a sentence?
Is deviate common in academic writing?: Is deviate common in academic writing?