variance

• Nom désignant l'état ou le fait d'être différent, de s'écarter ou de ne pas correspondre ; peut également désigner une mesure statistique de dispersion, une divergence d'opinions ou une dérogation officielle à une règle.

A noun referring to the state or fact of differing, deviating, or being inconsistent; it can denote a statistical measure of dispersion, a divergence of opinion, or an official exemption from a rule.

1. Departure from expectationsB2formal

   An event or situation that deviates from what was anticipated or planned.

   Écart par rapport aux attentes

   • The sudden drop in sales was a variance from the projected figures.
   • His calm reaction was a variance from his usual outbursts.
   • The weather was a variance from the forecast, surprising everyone.

   Synonymesaberrationanomalydeparturedeviationdifferencediscrepancydivergenceincongruityvariation

   Antonymesconformityconsistencyconstancynormpredictabilityregularitystandarduniformity

2. Disagreement or discordB2formal

   A state of conflict or disagreement that causes a group to split or become divided.

   Discorde, désaccord

   • A variance of opinion split the committee into two factions.
   • The political variance within the party led to a heated debate.
   • There was a variance between the two departments over budget allocation.

   Synonymesconflictdisagreementdiscorddisputedissensiondissentdivisionfrictionschismstrife

   Antonymesaccordagreementconcordconsensusharmonyunity

3. Statistical measureC1formal

   In statistics, the second moment around the mean; the expected value of the square of the deviations of a random variable from its mean value.

   Variance (statistiques)

   • The variance of the data set was calculated to measure its spread.
   • A high variance indicates that the data points are far from the mean.
   • The analyst used variance to assess the risk of the investment portfolio.

4. Difference in facts or opinionsB2formal

   A discrepancy or inconsistency between conflicting facts, claims, or opinions.

   Divergence, désaccord

   • There is a variance between the witness statements and the police report.
   • The variance in the two accounts of the event raised suspicions.
   • The report highlighted a variance in the financial records.

   Synonymescontradictiondisagreementdiscrepancydisparitydivergenceinconsistencymismatch

   Antonymesaccordagreementconcordconformityconsistencyharmony

5. Quality of being variableB2formal

   The state or quality of being subject to variation or change.

   Caractère variable

   • The variance in temperature throughout the day is typical for this region.
   • There is a natural variance in the quality of handmade products.
   • The variance in her mood made it hard to predict her reactions.

   Synonymeschangeabilitychangeablenessfluctuationmutabilityvariabilityvariableness

   Antonymesconstancyinvariabilitystabilityuniformity

6. Official dispensationC1formalamerican

   An official permission to act contrary to a rule or regulation, typically a building regulation.

   Dérogation officielle

   • The homeowner applied for a variance to build a taller fence than allowed.
   • The city granted a variance for the construction of the new store.
   • Without a variance, the building would violate zoning laws.

   Synonymesdispensationexceptionexemptionreliefwaiver

7. Deviation from a normB2formal

   An activity or behavior that varies from a standard or norm.

   Écart par rapport à une norme

   • His artistic style was a variance from traditional painting techniques.
   • The company's policy allows for variance in work hours.
   • Any variance from the standard procedure must be reported.

   Synonymesaberrationanomalydeparturedeviationdiscrepancydivergenceinconsistencyirregularity

   Antonymescomplianceconformityconsistencyuniformity