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

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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
Yes, travel often comes with delays, detours, lost luggage and even culture shock. Amy Poeppel, People.com, 11 June 2025 Frame those moves as intentional growth, not accidental detours. Anshuman Yadav, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Verb
Traffic will be detoured around the section of the Douglas County interchange starting at 8 p.m., with the detour lifting 5 a.m. Monday. Max Levy, Denver Post, 30 May 2025 Eastbound traffic will be detoured to and from South Cato Springs Road via I-49. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for detour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detour
Noun
  • Conservatives counter the state’s debt is still too high and that any deviation from savings practices is a road to fiscal chaos.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
  • For Patience, a sharp word or any deviation from her routine can be devastating and discombobulating.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • If Michael Misa is somehow bypassed after the first two picks, the Blackhawks would be happy to take him.
    Scott Powers, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • In some cases, this might mean bypassing or delaying scheduled stops, particularly if the medical need is critical and the ship is far from land.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • They are instructed not to deviate from the article content.
    TIME Staff, Time, 16 June 2025
  • The signature love, heartbreak, and reunions filled these last 8 episodes, leading to a shocking season finale revelation that deviated away from the book series.
    Reshma Gopaldas, IndieWire, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2025
  • Manchester City enter this tournament amid a rebuild, with manager Pep Guardiola reconfiguring the midfield following Kevin De Bruyne's departure.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 June 2025
Verb
  • In doing so, Ford circumvented a hefty 25% tariff and only paid a 2.5% import duty.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 18 June 2025
  • Months later, Musk's bombastic plan to slash the bureaucracy has been blunted by a flurry of legal challenges that allege DOGE overstepped its authority, circumvented privacy laws, and disregarded protocols for shrinking the workforce.
    Stephen Fowler, NPR, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Today, in a world still healing from a global pandemic and grappling with economic, political and climate uncertainty, the temptation to turn inward is strong.
    Kendra MacDonald, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • This focus and appreciation for lifestyle gaming turned the DS from a simple console to a generation-defining device.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • The movie also acknowledges that there is a climate crisis, but tries to avoid having viewers frozen with fear.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
  • But Augustin pleaded guilty to second-degree assault as a hate crime, avoiding even more prison time if he had been convicted by a Queens jury on the manslaughter charge.
    Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The next step, Thomson said, is to get Harper outside Friday to throw more and swing off a tee.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • Telfar bags swung next to kente cloth wraps, and authors like Clarence Haynes signed copies of his new novel, The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery, as lines snaked through the crowds.
    Essence, Essence, 19 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Detour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detour. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

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