Meaning & use
standard deviation
A statistical measure of how spread out a set of values is from the average.
See it in a sentence
A low standard deviation means most test scores clustered close to the class average.
The researchers reported the mean and standard deviation for each experimental group.
A note on using this word
A small standard deviation means data points cluster tightly around the mean, while a large one shows they are widely spread out.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “standard deviation”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.