roundabout

1 of 2

adjective

round·​about ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce roundabout (audio)
: 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
But in a roundabout way, the right outcome was found. Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 Fishers nixes plans for another Allisonville roundabout after crash spike at 96th Street circle Noblesville has dominated Indiana soccer for years. John Tufts, IndyStar, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
The City Council voted unanimously in June to remove two traffic circles, or small roundabouts, installed in 2013 at intersections on Kelly Drive. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2025 Police used teargas to disperse people trying to occupy a roundabout in the same city. Stephane Mahe, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025 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 17 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

roundabout

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

More from Merriam-Webster on roundabout

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