Anomaly
Data scientists flag it, doctors chase it, and sports fans love it when the underdog breaks the model.
Learn This WordMeaning
Something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.
Memory trick
AN-OMALY: not (an-) normal, something off-pattern.
Examples
The spike was an anomaly, not a sustained trend.
Analysts flagged an anomaly in payment logs.
Her result was an anomaly compared with the rest of the cohort.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Greek anomalia "unevenness, irregularity," from an- "not" + homalos "even."
Usage Notes
Very useful in data, monitoring, and scientific contexts.
Real-life contexts
Use in dashboards: "Treat this as an anomaly until we see a pattern."
Use in debugging: "Let’s isolate whether this is anomaly or regression."
Use in reporting: "Document anomalies with context, not guesses."
Common Mistakes
An anomaly is usually a one-off deviation, not necessarily a systemic issue.
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Part of Speech
noun
Difficulty
intermediateMonthly Searches
~110,000
Related Words
Paradox
A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated may prove to be well-founded or true.
Incongruous
Not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings; out of place; incompatible.
Erratic
Not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable and inconsistent.