1
as in bypassing
to avoid by going around
we had to detour the construction zone in order to get to the stadium
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deviating
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
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Recent Examples of detouring
Brown apologized for detouring off-topic again.
—
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Both Ball and Norman danced around the question, detouring to talk about everything from the First Amendment, partnerships among local law enforcement agencies, chronic staffing issues, possession of body cameras and protesters' right to record and report after an incident.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026
No detouring from the course that has got them to this point.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 19 Jan. 2026
For three months, the party scouted out a path across the desert, frequently detouring around impassable canyons and mountains.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
In Expedia's report, some popular destinations include detouring from Brescia, Italy, to Milan, and from Santa Barbara, California, to Los Angeles.
—Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Both Ball and Norman danced around the question, detouring to talk about everything from the First Amendment, partnerships among local law enforcement agencies, chronic staffing issues, possession of body cameras and protesters' right to record and report after an incident.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026
No detouring from the course that has got them to this point.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 19 Jan. 2026
For three months, the party scouted out a path across the desert, frequently detouring around impassable canyons and mountains.
—Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025
In Expedia's report, some popular destinations include detouring from Brescia, Italy, to Milan, and from Santa Barbara, California, to Los Angeles.
—Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detouring
Verb
-
Under former President Jacob Zuma’s administration, a 9,600 MW plan tied to Russia’s Rosatom was struck down by the courts for bypassing parliamentary oversight.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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In November 2024, Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Bob Blumenfield introduced a motion calling for the city to explore bypassing LAHSA and contracting directly with service providers, citing concerns about fragmentation and accountability.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, it was criticized by pacifists at home and China for deviating from Japan’s postwar self-defense only principle.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But Apple has started deviating from this as of late, with the introduction of the eye-catching Cosmic Orange skin in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max last year.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Palencia pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Tuesday’s win and had warmed up twice in Monday night’s victory, so Counsell was avoiding the flamethrower on Wednesday.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Our legislators must make some tough decisions; avoiding the issues is not acceptable.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Yet everything Counsell and the Cubs are doing lately is turning into gold.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
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With Pluto turning retrograde in your 9th House of Perspective, beliefs, plans, or long-term ideas start to evolve.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The arrangement could be considered circumventing the NBA salary cap, a serious violation of league rules.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Numerous states have accused prediction markets of circumventing state gambling laws, with mixed results in court.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Software engineers are also looking at how AIs can be adapted to spot the early signs that conversations are veering into dark territory and issue corrective actions.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 May 2026
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Instead, the ship stalled along the East Coast, making multiple stops in Norfolk, Virginia, before crossing the Atlantic and veering off course.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detouring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detouring. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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