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
Relevance
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
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 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
-
APIs and identity systems are primary targets, with attackers bypassing front-end defenses to exploit core business logic at scale, according to the report.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
-
Out-of-state and international visitors to Florida in search of sun and tropical vibes tend to head south in the Sunshine State, bypassing the northernmost major metro area, Jacksonville, in favor of places like Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Naples, instead.—
Terry Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Charles Melton sweetly dedicated an award to his wife and newborn daughter, deviating from his famously private nature.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
-
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
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
-
Our legislators must make some tough decisions; avoiding the issues is not acceptable.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The roughly 4,800-square-foot home is wrapped in expansive windows overlooking the lake and mountains beyond, turning the landscape into a constantly changing backdrop.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
13 May 2026
-
Another way to decorate your privacy fence is by turning it into a full-on plant wall.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The arrangement could be considered circumventing the NBA salary cap, a serious violation of league rules.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Numerous states have accused prediction markets of circumventing state gambling laws, with mixed results in court.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
