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
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
While looking for the vehicle in the roundabout nearby, the officer noticed the BMW was in a canal on the north side of Loxahatchee Road.
—Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
Funnily enough, last week was a bit swings-and-roundabouts for me on that front.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for roundabout
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Adjective
Starting an expensive professional golf league was a roundabout way to launder the reputation of a violent autocrat.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
While looking for the vehicle in the roundabout nearby, the officer noticed the BMW was in a canal on the north side of Loxahatchee Road.
—Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
The mockup includes a roundabout at the intersection just south of the high school and Will Rogers Middle School, protected bikeways and reducing a section of Dewey Drive to three lanes for motorists.
—Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
Funnily enough, last week was a bit swings-and-roundabouts for me on that front.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 1 May 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 13 May. 2026.
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