We found an anomaly.
Source: tatoeba (1125579)
Anomaly
/əˈnɑ.mə.li/
Synonyms for "anomaly" (202 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (41)
Noun(18 words)
Adjective(3 words)
abrupt changeabrupt spikeannual irregular
Verb(1 words)
create disarray
Strong matches (60)
Noun(23 words)
data pointdata spikede vez em quandodeformitiesdeformitydeviancedeviantdeviantsdeviationdiscrepancy prepositiondisorganizationselectrical malfunctionexceptionsfarliefinancial irregularityflummoxingfreakfreaksglitchgreat surprise
Show 3 more words
derangementdeviancydeviationdifferencedifferentnessdivergencedottinesseccentricityerraticismerraticnessexceptionfish out of waterfreakfreakinessfreakishnessheteromorphismidiocrasyidiosyncrasyimprobabilityimpropriety
Show 12 more words
Adjective(3 words)
deviant resultepidemiologic eventgothic wato artifact
Verb(2 words)
deviate from the normglitching
Related words (101)
Noun(39 words)
isolateisolated data pointledger irregularitymalformationsmarkedly differentmisfitsmonstrositiesmost misalignednon patternodd fishodd one outoddballsodditiesoutlier in dataoutlier organismparadoxespeculiaritiesperversionsphenomenon of naturequeerness
Show 19 more words
quirksrare casesraritiesrarityrumscore spikesingularitiessplotchesstandoutsstatistical irregularitystragglerstrange fishstrangenesstrablousunusual personunusualnessvagaryvisual artifactweirdness
Adjective(14 words)
Verb(1 words)
observed inconsistency
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: irregularity, oddity, outlier, peculiarity, aberrance.
- Sentence evidence is available for anomaly, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "anomaly".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "anomaly"
Keep "anomaly" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "anomaly" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "anomaly", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "anomaly" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
16 entriesMore specific
7 entriesCollocations
5 entriesanomaly detectiondata anomalyrare anomalystatistical anomalyunexplained anomaly
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
17 translations across 12 languages.
Arabic
1 entries- شُذُوذ noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Dutch
2 entries- anomalie noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
- onregelmatigheid noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Finnish
3 entries- epäsäännöllisyys noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
- poikkeus noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
- säännöttömyys noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
French
1 entries- anomalie noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
German
1 entries- Anomalie noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Greek
1 entries- ανωμαλία noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Hungarian
1 entries- anomália noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Italian
1 entries- anomalia noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Polish
2 entries- anomalia noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
- nieprawidłowość noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Portuguese
1 entries- anomalia noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Serbo-Croatian
1 entries- anomalija noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Swedish
2 entries- anomali noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
- avvikelse noun (dated: an irregularity or inconsistency)
Sample sentences
13 total sentences available.
This is an anomaly.
Source: tatoeba (5756833)
An anomaly which often struck me in the character of my friend Sherlock Holmes was that, although in his methods of thought he was the neatest and most methodical of mankind, and although also he affected a certain quiet primness of dress, he was none the less in his personal habits one of the most untidy men that ever drove a fellow-lodger to distraction.
Source: tatoeba (6981845)
I think it was just an anomaly.
Source: tatoeba (7136544)
Showing 4 of 13 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "anomaly"?
Closest matches include irregularity, oddity, outlier, peculiarity, aberrance.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "anomaly"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.