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
Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Without revealing too much, this structure from al-Mansour and co-writer Brad Niemann ends up having a roundabout reason too, given a bizarre third-act twist that renders moot the film’s entire point of view, along with its central themes.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 June 2026
Riley Moser, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Crews will replace the concrete truck apron inside the roundabout.
—Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for roundabout
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Adjective
For years, the federal government has reimbursed California for hefty taxes the state placed on Medicaid plans — a roundabout way for California to draw more federal dollars into its Medi-Cal programs.
—Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
Without revealing too much, this structure from al-Mansour and co-writer Brad Niemann ends up having a roundabout reason too, given a bizarre third-act twist that renders moot the film’s entire point of view, along with its central themes.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 June 2026
Noun
Bridges will carry the highway over cross streets and some roundabouts.
—Riley Moser, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Crews will replace the concrete truck apron inside the roundabout.
—Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 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 16 Jun. 2026.
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