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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detour
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
The Republic's climate reporter started her journey with detours that were forced by wildfires and left for volunteers to fix.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be detoured to the Oak Leaf Trail, the publication reported.
—Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detour
Noun
That’s easy to get our heads around, even if some of the detours aren’t.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
The Republic's climate reporter started her journey with detours that were forced by wildfires and left for volunteers to fix.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
Drivers who want to avoid crossing into Mexico can detour by exiting at the Via De San Ysidro Boulevard off-ramp on southbound I-5, turning right onto Via De San Ysidro Boulevard, then left onto Calle Primera and continue toward Camino De La Plaza through Willow Road.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be detoured to the Oak Leaf Trail, the publication reported.
—Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detour
Noun
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While some critics have taken issue with this fundamental deviation from Shelley’s script, others believe there could be merit in this new, lighter-touch creature.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Detecting deviations from the routine, the stereotypical, was a forte for AI.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Court documents show Bass and Randle knew the window was a safety hazard since June 2023, and that their children had been able to bypass the locks since December.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
21 Oct. 2025
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When exposed to cancer-causing agents or to ultraviolet B light, McSCs can bypass this protective response.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Anomalies are things that deviate from what is normal and expected.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Etminan’s editing routine also deviated from his standard practice.—
Hugh Hart,
IndieWire,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The infant first detecting maternal absence, the pet abandoned in an alley, the friend suddenly iced out have all felt the sudden departure of someone who was expected to be there.—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The blues poem is frequently poised at the moment of departure, the train pulling away from the station, a life left behind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cosmologists and mathematical physicists often seek ways to circumvent the theorem, looking to quantum gravity (or other non-standard scenarios) to break us out of the requirements that general relativity imposes.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
24 Oct. 2025
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And, though users can make the most of lackluster AI moderation (Grok Imagine) or figure out clever ways to circumvent guardrails (Sora) in order to misrepresent famous people, the greater danger probably comes from videos that purport to capture events involving unknown parties.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Take a cue from Gal Gadot and scroll on for more sweater vests that will turn your fall layers into a Wonder Woman-worthy outfit.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Anastasia Soare is turning heads and raising brows.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Of course, anyone with a tree-nut allergy should avoid almond butter altogether.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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Tillery also advises her clients to skip overpacking and go with carry-on luggage to avoid unnecessary baggage fees or inconveniences if there are flight changes.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Adam Weirib of Yanks Go Yard recently suggested the Yankees could look to swing a trade for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
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After decades of minimalist, thin-rimmed glassware, the surrealist alternative makes sense within the pendulum swing toward maximalist design and the blurring of lines between art and the purely functional.—
Emily Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detour. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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