go off on a tangent

idiom

: to start talking about something that is only slightly or indirectly related to the original subject

She went off on a tangent about what happened to her last summer.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Listen To The Consumer By not listening to customers and what the data shows, companies can potentially go off on a tangent. —

Claire Stern, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2023 One of those trigger points was the subject of race in America, which saw Trump once again go off on a tangent that may have included a shot at Kim Kardashian West. —

Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 25 Oct. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'go off on a tangent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near go off on a tangent

go off half-cocked

go off on a tangent

go off the air

See More Nearby Entries

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Style

“Go off on a tangent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20off%20on%20a%20tangent. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

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