: 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
Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
This lumpy book, full of redundant stories and unnecessary detours that provide little illumination but plenty of needless bulk, lacks participation by the group’s members and is not the biography that this great and important band deserves.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
The team’s flight bound for Oklahoma City for a Game 1 tilt with the Thunder was detoured by literal thunder and forced to land in Tulsa, Oklahoma, due to a tornado warning in the capital Tuesday afternoon.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detour
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Noun
There will be electronic message boards and detour signage that will direct motorists to another ramp.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
This lumpy book, full of redundant stories and unnecessary detours that provide little illumination but plenty of needless bulk, lacks participation by the group’s members and is not the biography that this great and important band deserves.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
Verb
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
The team’s flight bound for Oklahoma City for a Game 1 tilt with the Thunder was detoured by literal thunder and forced to land in Tulsa, Oklahoma, due to a tornado warning in the capital Tuesday afternoon.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 3 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 2 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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