deviations (C1)

noun

Pronunciation: /ˌdiːviˈeɪʃənz/

Definition

Instances of departing from an established course, standard, or expected behavior.

Examples

• The auditor investigated the minor deviations from company policy found in the quarterly report.

• Significant deviations in temperature readings suggested that the laboratory equipment was malfunctioning.

• We must minimize deviations from the original project timeline to ensure we finish on schedule.

How to Use deviations

deviations from (prepositional phrase)

the standard way to indicate what is being departed from — "There were several deviations from the original plan."

standard deviation (collocation)

a statistical measure of variation — "The standard deviation of the test scores was quite high."

Synonyms of deviations

Words with a similar meaning to deviations:

• change
• variation
• departure
• divergence

Antonyms of deviations

Words with the opposite meaning to deviations:

• conformity
• consistency

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