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
Details about construction staging, closures, detours and more will be discussed at a preconstruction open house on Wednesday. Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 18 May 2026 Any disruption to the strait would force vessels on costly dayslong detours. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 16 May 2026
Verb
Pedal to Shady Lane Cellars and Three Trees Vineyard, or detour down country roads (follow signage from the main trail) to visit Mawby Sparkling Wines and Black Star Farms, a winery and luxe inn. Sarah Miller, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026 The falls also drew travelers on the Oregon Trail who would detour to see the sight in the mid-19th century. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for detour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detour
Noun
  • Equally important, treat deviations from your targets with rigor.
    Thierry Brunel, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
  • Each component must perform within narrow tolerances, particularly at extended distances where minor deviations can significantly affect accuracy.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • As an angry hacker going by the moniker Chaotic Eclipse continues to release zero-day exploit code, Microsoft has now released mitigation advice for the YellowKey Windows BitLocker vulnerability that can bypass security features.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
  • But more than half the town’s population—roughly 5,900 people—bypassed variolation and fell sick.
    Tom Levenson, Time, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Now, Hilton rarely deviates from her signature look, of which long, perfectly curled or waved blonde hair is a key element.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 18 May 2026
  • Those who deviate are eliminated, leaving a trail of blood that deters other would-be challengers.
    Daniel DePetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • The existing political infrastructure has no way of accommodating migration on the coming scale, which will evacuate departure economies, and overwhelm destination societies.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • Though the Republican staffers’ departures are unrelated, their simultaneous exits leave Garcia with one less bridge to the Hill at a moment when US-Africa policy can least afford the disruption.
    Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Digital media give more prominence to the role of scientists and PR professionals who can directly appeal to the public, circumventing the gatekeeping function that science journalists performed.
    Prodromos Yannas, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026
  • Lower courts likely won't approve a measure that aims to circumvent a Supreme Court ruling and would probably reject any law that ties the provision of general government services to the behaviors of the recipients, Smith said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • Professional commentators tended to see these developments in so many local terms—turning, for their explanations, to national histories, cultures and institutions.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • The question turned into an accidental personality test, exposing some of each artist’s values.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • The problem is, when your side lack intensity, aggression and cohesion, those traps are easy to spot and avoid.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • October 23 – November 21 The real conversation is probably the one everyone has been avoiding.
    Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • In a matter of hours, the South Korean Kospi swung from a fresh record high, above the 8,000 milestone, to a 6% loss.
    Katie Foley, CNBC, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Detour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detour. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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