1. People who depart from an established doctrine, party line, or accepted standard, especially in political or ideological contexts.
Usage: Often used in political discourse, particularly in communist or authoritarian contexts; Plural form of deviationist; Can carry a pejorative connotation depending on context

Examples

• The regime labeled critics as deviationists who threatened national unity.
• Historical accounts describe how deviationists were purged from the party during the ideological campaign.
• The government accused the reformers of being deviationists for questioning official policy.
• Deviationists within the movement sought to introduce new interpretations of the doctrine.
• The party leadership viewed deviationists as a threat to ideological purity.
• Several deviationists were expelled for their alternative political views.