: 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
Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 30 June 2025
Make way for divine detours as the Cancer new moon seeds in.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2025
Traffic will be detoured to Exit 28 (Route 322) turn right onto Route 322, right turn onto I-84 eastbound proceed to Exit 30.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detour
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Noun
Anna’s life is completely on track until this detour.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 30 June 2025
Make way for divine detours as the Cancer new moon seeds in.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Verb
The idea was that, with four Pac-12 schools in the Big Ten, its top officials would detour to Mountain West cities on their way to work UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington games.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2025
Traffic will be detoured to Exit 28 (Route 322) turn right onto Route 322, right turn onto I-84 eastbound proceed to Exit 30.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 June 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 8 Jul. 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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