: a deviation from a direct course or the usual procedure
especially
: a roundabout way temporarily replacing part of a route
detoured; detouring; detours
: to proceed by a detour
detour around road construction
1
: to send by a circuitous route
detour traffic around an accident
2
: to avoid by going around : bypass
detour an accident site
Examples of detour in a Sentence
Noun
After a number of unexpected detours, we finally arrived at our destination.
The little restaurant is worth a detour.
We had to make a detour around the heaviest traffic.
We took a detour from the main streets.
The road is closed ahead, so traffic will have to follow the detour.
Verb
We detoured around the heaviest traffic.
A police officer was detouring traffic around the scene of the accident.
Traffic will be detoured to 72nd Street.
Recent Examples on the Web
Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
The handover was announced as IFTA’s flagship event, the American Film Market is set to unspool in LA after a one-year detour to Las Vegas in 2024.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Oct. 2025
Drivers were encouraged to detour on state routes 177 and 77 through Winkelman.
—Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detour
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Noun
For an avant-garde take on a historic craft, make a detour for Palmas Douradas’ shoppable atelier in São Brás de Alportel.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
The handover was announced as IFTA’s flagship event, the American Film Market is set to unspool in LA after a one-year detour to Las Vegas in 2024.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
Motorists may detour by way of Cincinnati-Dayton and West Chester roads or by way of I-275 West and state Route 747.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Oct. 2025
Drivers were encouraged to detour on state routes 177 and 77 through Winkelman.
—Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detour
Cite this Entry
“Detour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detour. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
detour
1 of 2 noun
de·tour
ˈdē-ˌtu̇(ə)r 
also di-ˈtu̇(ə)r
: a departure from a direct course or the usual procedure
especially
: a roundabout way temporarily replacing a regular route
detour
2 of 2 verb
: to send or proceed by a detour
detour traffic around an accident
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