Apr 8, 2026 · The meaning of DEVIATION is an act or instance of deviating. How to use deviation in a sentence.

Anything that varies from the accepted norm or standard is called a deviation. It is common in math and science, but it can refer to anything that differs from the expected.

The deviation of a value of x is the difference between it and the mean of the sample. Each deviation is then squared.

The sign of the deviation reports the direction of that difference: the deviation is positive when the observed value exceeds the reference value. The absolute value of the deviation indicates the size …

Definition of deviation noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Deviation is the difference between a single data point and the mean of the data set. It tells you how far that value sits from the average, and in which direction. For a data value xi in a data set with mean x, …

Divergence from an accepted idea, policy, or norm of behavior: "Freud, as the leader of a powerful new movement, could not bear much deviation from his own central ideas" (Joseph Epstein).

Illustrated definition of Deviation: In general: how far from the normal In statistics: the difference between a single value and the mean of all values...

There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun deviation, three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Deviation means doing something that is different from what people consider to be normal or acceptable. Deviation from the norm is not tolerated.