detour 1 of 2

Definition of detournext
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

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detour

2 of 2

verb

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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2
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction we had to detour for a few miles around the section of highway under construction

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of detour
Noun
Take a quick detour off the Pacific Coast Highway to explore quaint streets full of Danish architecture, antique shops, and restaurants. Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026 Cargo that may have once required detours to competing ports can now move efficiently by rail, strengthening the port’s role as a driver of jobs and economic activity for the region. Wes Moore, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2026
Verb
Drivers now have to detour at Mclaughlin Drive to reach the airport. Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 9 June 2026 In the nearly seven years since her Sweetener World Tour, Grande detoured from her hugely successful pop career to amplify her acting aspirations. Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for detour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detour
Noun
  • When the complex was being constructed, there were deviations from the building’s original design, contributing to structural weaknesses, the report said.
    Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026
  • In 2023 a collaboration of radio astronomers reported tiny deviations in the timing of these flashes from dozens of pulsars in the Milky Way.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • As fans leave Miami Stadium following World Cup matches, many are finding a way to bypass heavy gridlock by utilizing a free, county-run shuttle system.
    Abby Dodge, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • The stern warning underscores Tehran's resolve to retain control over the Strait of Hormuz and to resist transits that bypass its authorization.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The final point is that markets often deviate from rewarding the long-term drivers of stock performance, like valuation and quality, which makes sticking with a winning formula very difficult.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • The one state that deviated from this was Kentucky, which chose red velvet as its favorite cake.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • The trade comes after years of uncertainty surrounding Milwaukee's direction following the departure of championship-winning head coach Mike Budenholzer in 2023 and caps a steady decline that culminated in the Bucks missing the 2026 playoffs.
    Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
  • The pound eased against major currencies as speculation mounted that Starmer was going to set out a timetable for his departure.
    Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • In the days before Lutnick’s previous decision to force the models offline, senior administration officials became increasingly concerned that users could circumvent Fable 5’s guardrails.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 27 June 2026
  • The clearance eases a confrontation that erupted two weeks ago when the government abruptly barred Anthropic from giving foreign nationals access to Mythos 5 and a related model, Fable 5, over fears that security guardrails could be circumvented.
    Josh Wingrove, Fortune, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • By building circuits whose states naturally fluctuate with this environmental heat, thermodynamic computing turns an otherwise stochastic and chaotic feature of nature into an incredibly fast, ultra-low-energy calculator.
    Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
  • Lestat is basically in Hell; having turned Nicky, he is now forever severed from him mentally, while Nicky’s mental state continues to deteriorate.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • To avoid a deluge of applications from every theater in America, Cockrum decided to make grants by invitation.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 28 June 2026
  • Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Any behavior requires a coordinated action across the brain—swing a baseball bat, complete a math problem—and the more the action is repeated, the more the associated neural pathways will strengthen.
    James Davis, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Ryan returned the favor in the fourth, getting Dalton Rushing, Freeland and Ohtani to all swing and miss.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Detour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detour. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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