Anomaly — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ə-ˈnä-mə-lē/ anom·a·ly

Meaning & Definition of Anomaly

Anomaly (noun)

  1. something different, abnormal, peculiar, or not easily classified, something anomalous
  2. deviation from the common rule, irregularity
  3. the angular distance of a planet from its perihelion as seen from the sun

Anomaly (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. something that is different from what is ordinary or expected

    "her C grade is an anomaly, as she's never made anything except A's and B's before"

    similar: aberration, abnormality, exception, oddity, oddment, rarity
    related: curiosity, peculiarity, singularity, accident, bizarrerie, phenomenon, quirk, vagary, distortion, kink, mutation, variation, difference, disparity, inconsistence, inconsistency, error, mistake, contradiction, paradox
    near: norm, ordinary, usual

  2. a person, thing, or event that is far from normal

    "snow in July is an anomaly in most of the northern hemisphere"

    similar: abnormality, freak, monster, monstrosity
    related: malformation, miscreation, mutant, mutation, character, crackbrain, crackpot, crank, eccentric, kook, nut, oddball, screwball, weirdo, aberrant, deviant, individualist, maverick, nonconformist, curiosity, peculiarity, singularity, aberration, exception, irregularity, oddity, rarity
    opposite: average, norm, normal, par, standard
    near: sample, specimen, commonplace, usual

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Anomaly

The most common words with a similar meaning to Anomaly:

aberration, abnormality, exception, oddity, oddment, rarity, freak, monster, monstrosity

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Anomaly

Words with the opposite meaning of Anomaly:

average, norm, normal, par, standard

Related Words for Anomaly

curiosity, peculiarity, singularity, accident, bizarrerie, phenomenon, quirk, vagary, distortion, kink, mutation, variation, difference, disparity, inconsistence, inconsistency, error, mistake, contradiction, paradox, malformation, miscreation, mutant, character, crackbrain, crackpot, crank, eccentric, kook, nut

Near Antonyms of Anomaly

ordinary, usual, sample, specimen, commonplace

Word Forms of Anomaly

Inflections: anomalies

Origin & Etymology of Anomaly

borrowed from Middle French and Latin; Middle French anomalie "irregularity in grammar," borrowed from Latin anōmalia, borrowed from Greek anōmalía "unevenness, inequality, inconsistency," from anṓmalos "not uniform, unequal, inconsistent, anomalous" + -ia -y:2

First known use: 1585

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Anomaly

Frequently Asked Questions about Anomaly

What does "Anomaly" mean?

"Anomaly" means something different, abnormal, peculiar, or not easily classified, something anomalous. As a noun, it is defined as: something different, abnormal, peculiar, or not easily classified, something anomalous. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Anomaly"?

Other words for "Anomaly" include aberration, abnormality, exception, oddity, oddment, rarity, freak and monster. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Anomaly" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Anomaly"?

There are 48 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Anomaly". Common alternatives include aberration, abnormality, exception, oddity, oddment, rarity, freak, monster and monstrosity.

What is the opposite of "Anomaly"?

Antonyms of "Anomaly" include average, norm, normal, par and standard. Near antonyms include ordinary, usual, sample and specimen.

How do you use "Anomaly" in a sentence?

Examples of "Anomaly" in a sentence: "her C grade is an anomaly, as she's never made anything except A's and B's before"; "snow in July is an anomaly in most of the northern hemisphere".

Is "Anomaly" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Anomaly" is a noun.

Is "Anomaly" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Anomaly" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Anomaly"?

"Anomaly" is pronounced /ə-ˈnä-mə-lē/ and divided into syllables as anom·a·ly.