detour 1 of 2

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Regardless, this detour into a genre not previously associated with clacking mandibles and righteous kills suggests the brand’s braintrust wants to diversify its portfolio a bit. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025 Take a detour to discover the road less traveled—you’ll never go back. Outside, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
Motorists can detour by taking the I-43 southbound exit ramp to Highway 100 (108th Street); Highway 100 to Layton Avenue; and Layton Avenue to the 60th Street entrance ramp back to I-41 southbound/I-43 northbound/I-894 eastbound. Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025 Weekend traffic on westbound I-94 will be detoured from northbound I-35E to westbound Minnesota Highway 36 to southbound Minnesota Highway 280. Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detour
Noun
  • Glasner prefers his players to know their role perfectly, to complement each other and to commit to the game plan largely without deviation.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • There’s no evidence of any sudden deviation, shift, or course change.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That allowed Adams to bypass the Democratic primary, in which Mamdani triumphed over Cuomo.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The team behind TruthScan’s deepfake detection software has previously conducted numerous case studies to bypass detection technology and understand the vulnerabilities in AI detection tools.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Boko Haram has targeted Christians and churches, as well as Muslims whose beliefs deviate from those of the group.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Flightradar24 said air traffic control audio and flight tracking showed that the Southwest plane was forced to deviate from its course to avoid the Eurocopter helicopter that was passing in front of it in the Cleveland incident.
    David Shepardson, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • O’Neil’s previous spell at Wolves began just days before the beginning of the 2023-24 season after Julen Lopetegui’s departure, and he was widely considered to have impressed after guiding them to safety and the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Tidmarsh’s ouster is the latest in a string of haphazard leadership changes at the agency, which has been rocked for months by firings, departures and controversial decisions on vaccines, fluoride and other products.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • This same method is being used to circumvent current sanctions, said sources in Myanmar who spoke to the Herald on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from the junta.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The book explained how to calculate interest rates, circumvent the Church’s usury laws, apportion profits, and assess revenues and costs.
    Big Think, Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Yuileta Lopez, a teen growing up in Texas, decides to turn her anger and outrage into activism.
    Amber McBride, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The surge in demand is already driving up energy prices and fueling political backlash as sprawling data centers turn into election-season flashpoints in the communities where they are being constructed.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Take extra caution when on the road or avoid driving if possible.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Flyers should try to mitigate any headaches from delays and cancellations by avoiding booking flights with layovers, the non-profit US Public Interest Research Group says, and opt to make reservations directly with the airline rather than a third-party website.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The election will be a test of whether Mamdani, and his focus on lowering the cost of living, can bring back nonwhite voters who swung to the right.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
  • When the Ferris wheel goes, the cars are supposed to swing with it, but it got stuck.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detour. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on detour

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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