aberrant 1 of 2

adjective

a-ˈber-ənt How to pronounce aberrant (audio)
Definition of aberrantnext
1
as in unusual
being out of the ordinary a year of aberrant weather—record rainfall in the summer, record heat in the autumn

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abnormal
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal aberrant behavior can be a sign of rabies in a wild animal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

aberrant

2 of 2

noun

as in deviant

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aberrant
Adjective
The question may seem aberrant, something a dimwit or sadistic mother might ask her charge during toilet training, but Americans do regard living writers as both needlessly and necessarily strange. — Literary Hub, 22 Apr. 2026 At the time, many observers treated his approach as aberrant. — Jack Schlossberg, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
An adventure without a modicum of agenda, absent any aspirations, aberrant or apposite. — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for aberrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aberrant
  1. unusual
  2. abnormal
  3. deviant
  4. extraordinary
  5. unnatural
  6. eccentric
  7. exceptional
  8. unique
Adjective
  • While his batting order remains unchanged, the team has made an unusual move, relocating Guerrero's locker to a new spot.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Land exchanges are common elsewhere in the federal government, but exchanging National Park Service land for private development access is unusual, NOTUS reported, citing a former park service official.
    — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of unusual
Adjective
  • Department staff searched for the otter to assess whether the animal was still in the area or displaying any abnormal or concerning behavior, Margiott said.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • An abnormal increase in a protein called sFlt-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1), which slows down placental growth, Kilpatrick says.
    — Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of abnormal
Noun
  • This boosts the rank, and by experimenting with this mechanic, players can uncover mutations and deviants, the rarest and most powerful variants.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Tolerating deviant behavior is the same as saying that behavior is acceptable.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of deviant
Adjective
  • One of the most extraordinary musical experiences of my life was recording with her.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Harald’s death was officially announced at an extraordinary Council of State meeting at Norway’s Royal Palace on Friday, as the full title of the new King was formally presented.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of extraordinary
Adjective
  • When my husband comes home and stands in front of the refrigerator stuffed with bags of mulberry leaves, his face takes on an unnatural look.
    — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Berry shunned the unnatural world whenever, and however possible.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of unnatural
Noun
  • Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
  • No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of eccentric
Adjective
  • Sharif said Noreen displayed exceptional courage and devotion to duty by risking her life to save the newborn moments before the nursery burned down.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Founders who recently had one exceptional year sometimes assume that year represents their new baseline, when a buyer will more likely average the last three years, or discount the outlier entirely.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of exceptional
Adjective
  • The growing normalization and adoption of open-weight AI models, as enterprises and consumers alike seek to customize models to their unique use cases.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Nike’s athletes’ kits this season were inspired by basketball, presenting a unique sartorial challenge blending the two distinct on-court sports.
    — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of unique

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abecedarians
aberrant
aberrants
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Cite this Entry

“Aberrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aberrant. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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