round·about
ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t 
: circuitous, indirect
had to take a roundabout route
roundaboutness
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
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Another video showed people in the Iranian town of Galleh Dar toppling a monument dedicated to Khamenei’s predecessor and founder of the Islamic Republic, the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, as flames rose from the roundabout and onlookers cheered.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
The video also shows flames rising from a roundabout with onlookers recording the moment on their phones and cheering.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for roundabout
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
After the crude comment and other comments about the Steelers hiring his former Green Bay Packers head coach and Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy, Rodgers was asked by McAfee about his football intentions in a roundabout way.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 5 Mar. 2026
Another video showed people in the Iranian town of Galleh Dar toppling a monument dedicated to Khamenei’s predecessor and founder of the Islamic Republic, the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, as flames rose from the roundabout and onlookers cheered.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
Carmel Valley’s first roundabout is in the works.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
The video also shows flames rising from a roundabout with onlookers recording the moment on their phones and cheering.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for roundabout
Cite this Entry
“Roundabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roundabout. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
