Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

circuitous

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of circuitous

1 not straightforward or direct
  • We took a circuitous route to the airport so as to avoid the massive traffic jam on the highway.
Synonyms of circuitous

circular, indirect, roundabout
Words Related to circuitous

crooked, curvy, serpentine, sinuous, tortuous, twisting, winding

meandering, rambling, wandering

circumlocutory, long-winded, prolix, verbose

deceitful, deceptive, devious, dishonest, duplicitous, insidious, misleading, sneaky, underhand, underhanded

calculating, crafty, cunning, subtle, tricky
Near Antonyms of circuitous

candid, forthright, frank, honest, open, plain, unconcealed, undisguised
Antonyms of circuitous

direct, straight, straightforward
2 using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea
  • a circuitous explanation for what seems like a fairly basic concept
Synonyms of circuitous

circumlocutory, diffuse, garrulous, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy
Words Related to circuitous

chatty, communicative, conversational, gabby, loquacious, talkative, talky, voluble

periphrastic

redundant, repetitious, tautological, tautologous

embellished, embroidered, exaggerated

bombastic, gaseous, gassy, grandiloquent, highfalutin (also hifalutin)
Near Antonyms of circuitous

brief, short

aphoristic, epigrammatic, sententious

compendious, summary

abbreviated, abridged, condensed, shortened

abrupt, blunt, brusque (also brusk), curt, laconic, snippy
Antonyms of circuitous

compact, concise, crisp, pithy, succinct, terse

Learn More about circuitous

  1. See words that rhyme with circuitous Dictionary: Definition of circuitous Spanish Central: Translation of circuitous Nglish: Translation of circuitous for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up circuitous? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games