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roundabout

1 of 2

adjective

round·​about ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce roundabout (audio)
Synonyms of roundaboutnext
: circuitous, indirect
had to take a roundabout route
roundaboutness noun

roundabout

2 of 2

noun

1
: a circuitous route : detour
2
British : merry-go-round
3
: a short close-fitting jacket worn by men and boys especially in the 19th century
4

Examples of roundabout in a Sentence

Adjective He took a roundabout route to town. In a roundabout way, he told me that my help was not wanted.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Waves of personnel firings turned into political blowback and immediate rehirings in a recursive roundabout worthy of MC Escher. Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025 Once reopened, the intersection will be a roundabout configuration. CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Noun
The roundabouts should open by summer 2027, according to the state. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 5 Dec. 2025 About halfway through the tunnel, drivers will encounter a vast underground double roundabout located 853 feet (260 meters) below sea level. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for roundabout

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1608, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of roundabout was in 1608

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roundabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roundabout. Accessed 11 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

roundabout

adjective
round·​about
ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t
: not direct
went a roundabout way

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