deviate greatly

USAGE SUMMARY

"deviate greatly" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You could use it when you want to express that a particular thing or situation differs significantly from another. For example, "These results deviate greatly from the expected outcome."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Societal and environmental pressures are forcing thermal power plant operators to deviate greatly from the generation strategies of the past.

International Journal of Fatigue

The assumptions made for the short-cut-methods are applicable for reverse osmosis, whereas the simulation of nanofiltration processes can lead to unreliable results, which sometimes deviate greatly from real conditions.

Desalination

But Michael A. Levi, a climate change expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, said China's carbon intensity goal did not deviate greatly from what he called "business as usual," reductions likely to occur under policies already put in place by 2009.

The New York Times

Due to the ill conditioning of SEFDM system, these initial estimates may deviate greatly from the optimal points.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Disclosure: this is a concept car, mind, but the production version, expected to make its official debut in Europe this autumn, will not deviate greatly from it.

BBC

However, errors may become large in cases where the physical properties of the sediment deviate greatly from those of the IODP Site C0002 (Kinoshita et al. 2009).

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

The resulting value of αgel (= 65±2%2%) deviates greatly from the theoretical value of 50%.

Polymer

The number on one side starts at the mean of 50 and fluctuates randomly while not deviating greatly from the mean.

Britannica

Running statistics are kept on each focal measure encountered during the traversal, and when a focal measure is found that deviates greatly from the norm, it is marked.

Stanford University

The product distribution on the multifunctional catalyst deviated greatly from the typical ASF distribution, which could be attributed to the secondary reactions, such as oligomerization, isomerization and aromatization, occurring on zeolite acid sites.

Nature

Finally, technology deviates greatly from the central station system.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "deviate greatly" to clearly indicate a significant divergence from an expected norm or standard. This phrase is suitable when the degree of deviation is noteworthy and important to emphasize.

Common error

Avoid using "deviate greatly" without providing context or quantification. Specify how much or in what way something deviates to enhance clarity and avoid ambiguity. For instance, instead of just saying "the results deviate greatly", specify "the results deviate greatly from the expected range by 20%".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deviate greatly" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe the extent to which something differs from a standard, norm, or expectation. According to Ludwig, this is a correct and usable phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "deviate greatly" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate a significant difference or departure from an expected standard, norm, or prediction. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a usable phrase in written English. It is frequently found in scientific, academic, and news-related contexts. While it effectively conveys a considerable divergence, it's essential to provide context or quantification to enhance clarity. Alternatives like "differ substantially", "vary significantly", and "diverge considerably" offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

differ substantially

Emphasizes the degree of difference, suggesting a considerable divergence.

vary significantly

Highlights the variation and its importance.

diverge considerably

Focuses on the act of moving in different directions or differing opinions to a large extent.

depart significantly

Stresses the act of leaving or diverging from an established course or standard.

stray markedly

Suggests a noticeable deviation from a set path or expected behavior.

contrast sharply

Indicates a strong and easily noticeable difference between two things.

differ widely

Highlights the extensive range of differences.

diverge sharply

Emphasizes an abrupt divergence.

vary considerably

Highlights the substantial degree of variation.

depart markedly

Emphasizes a noticeable departure.

FAQs

How can I use "deviate greatly" in a sentence?

You can use "deviate greatly" to show a significant difference or departure from something. For example, "The actual results "deviate greatly" from our initial projections".

What are some alternatives to "deviate greatly"?

Some alternatives include "differ substantially", "vary significantly", or "diverge considerably". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more formal to say "deviate greatly" or "differ significantly"?

"Deviate greatly" and "differ significantly" are both suitable for formal contexts. The choice between them often depends on stylistic preference and the specific context.

What does it mean when something "deviates greatly" from expectations?

When something "deviates greatly" from expectations, it means that the actual outcome or result is significantly different from what was anticipated or predicted. This could be due to unforeseen factors or errors in the initial assumptions.