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
Weak track record Wary of backlash from their constituents, Republicans have agreed on a strategy that would largely cut Medicaid spending in a roundabout way. Jane Tavares, The Conversation, 13 May 2025 Looking back, Lia recalls one of the biggest challenges of that New York shoot was, in a roundabout way, Taylor Swift. Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 12 May 2025
Noun
The plan calls for 17 roundabouts scattered across the region. Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025 The roundabout at Sheldon and Waterman roads remains open, but department officials advised motorists who travel along Waterman between Bond and Sheldon roads to take alternate routes. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 13 May 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 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

roundabout

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

More from Merriam-Webster on roundabout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!