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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Cars and trucks piled into the roundabout, horns blaring. Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 According to a news release from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the man now identified as Wielkiewicz was driving a Chevrolet SUV south on South Ten Mile Road when his vehicle collided with a barrier wall at the Victory roundabout. Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 2 June 2026
Noun
Grassroots associations have made sure the posters of the disappeared are visible even at tourist sites, including outside a 17th century cathedral and on bollards at a central roundabout featuring a Roman goddess statue where Mexican soccer fans often celebrate. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 Sunday, the coroner’s office was dispatched to the crash location — a roundabout at South Ten Mile Road and West Victory Road — and determined that 45-year-old Dustin Wielkiewicz, a Star resident, was dead at the scene, according to a Tuesday press release. Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 2 June 2026 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 9 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

roundabout

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

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