as in deviation
a turning away from a course or standard
we'll regard this relapse as just a brief detour on your road to recovery from substance abuse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bypass
to avoid by going around
we had to detour the construction zone in order to get to the stadium
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detour
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Traffic going inbound on Penn will stay the same, but outbound traffic will include detours.
—Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Drivers on Route 19 were being detoured due to a water main break in Mount Lebanon's central business district on Monday.
—Megan Shinn, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detour
Noun
What follows is a crusade of detours, espionage and a paranoid struggle to preserve the only home he’s ever known.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Traffic going inbound on Penn will stay the same, but outbound traffic will include detours.
—Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
Brown apologized for detouring off-topic again.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Drivers on Route 19 were being detoured due to a water main break in Mount Lebanon's central business district on Monday.
—Megan Shinn, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detour
Noun
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To cover these deviation costs, MSC is charging $800 per container affected, while RCL is charging $500.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
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The report lamented this deviation from its historical use as a hopeful, sacred affirmation with biblical roots.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Numerous speakers echoed Ferguson’s concern, accusing some on the commission of privately petitioning the state government to bypass the residents who wanted a direct say in honorary namings.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
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Large countries with strong militaries could impart their will on smaller ones; institutions were to be bypassed and weakened, freeing superpowers to act.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But during the first week of the Iran war, Hegseth’s press briefings deviated from the measured tone expected from high-ranking military officials.—
Casey Ryan Kelly,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
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The nearly 16 ½-hour flight that Mikhaell, Patel, and others were on from Dubai to Chicago deviated from its normal route to avoid the ongoing war.—
Charlie De Mar,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Teams ousted during the group stage usually leave within days, but organizers have not announced details for the departure of the Iran delegation.—
Yarden Segev,
NBC news,
9 Mar. 2026
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The Grammy-winning musician and actor wasn't the only celeb to make a statement at Chanel; Margot Robbie showed up with a wavy, wet-look bob and bangs that was a major departure from her more romantic Wuthering Heights styles.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But critics see it as effectively the same practice, circumventing states’ sports betting laws and operating in places that have banned the practice.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
12 Mar. 2026
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In today’s case, by claiming that the Iranian regime was posing an imminent threat to the United States, the president can more easily circumvent congressional approval for military action and then turn to Congress after the fact if further action is needed.—
Charlie Hunt,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Zendaya first sparked wedding rumors last month when she was spotted with a gold band in place of her usual rock, though fans were unsure if the actor had simply turned her ring towards her palm or switched to a simpler ring to keep the real one safe.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
16 Mar. 2026
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Addressing a crowd of at least 100,000 on Budapest's Heroes' Square, Magyar charged Orbán's government with turning Hungarians against one another through propaganda and divisive policies, and of steering the country away from its rightful place among Western democracies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Heat, which has needed to qualify for the playoffs through the NBA’s play-in tournament in each of the last three seasons, needs to finish among the East’s top six teams to clinch a playoff spot and avoid the play-in tournament.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
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The two sides are meeting for a fifth consecutive day Saturday in hopes of getting a CBA finished in a timely fashion to avoid any potential delays to the upcoming WNBA season.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kiffin, in many ways, swung the scythe that signaled the spring game’s apparent demise.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
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Benchmark oil prices have swung violently with the uncertainty, and on Thursday the global crude oil benchmark price jumped to $100 a barrel.—
Josh Boak,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detour. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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