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GRE vocabulary

anomaly

nounHigh-frequency wordMore A words

something that deviates from what is standard or expected

Word origin: From Greek anomalos, uneven (an- not plus homalos even).

In a sentence

Anomaly in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing anomaly in a sentence.

The data point was an anomaly that the researchers could not explain.

The telescope detected an anomaly in the star's orbit that no known planet could explain.

Synonyms
aberrationirregularitydeviation
Antonyms
normregularitystandard
Usage & nuance

Using “anomaly” well

An anomaly is something that breaks the expected pattern. The adjective form is anomalous.

Common questions

Questions about “anomaly

Anomaly (noun) means something that deviates from what is standard or expected
Here is anomaly used in an example sentence: "The data point was an anomaly that the researchers could not explain." Another example: "The telescope detected an anomaly in the star's orbit that no known planet could explain."
Common synonyms for anomaly include aberration, irregularity, deviation.
Antonyms of anomaly include norm, regularity, standard.
Anomaly and anomalous cluster with aberration, irregularity, and deviation on the GRE. The antonym is the norm or regularity.
Yes. Anomaly is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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