detours 1 of 2

Definition of detoursnext
plural of detour
as in deviations
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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detours

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of detour
1
2
as in deviates
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 detours
Noun
The situation hurtles ever forward toward the threat of eruption, though not without the movie making deftly timed detours toward historical context. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026 Days unfold through a series of private visits, backed by a luxury town car for any spur-of-the-moment detours. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2026 Caldwell is slated to start construction on the city’s Kimball Bridge on Monday, meaning detours will reroute traffic downtown. Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026 While crews will try to keep disruptions to a minimum, periodic lane closures and short-term detours will be inevitable, Mendoza said. Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026 The Akard Street, Cadiz Street and Cesar Chavez Boulevard bridges over I-30 are closed for demolition and reconstruction, leading to detours between Downtown and the Cedars area. Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026 Transportation officials will post signs where Gest is shut down to direct drivers to detours – with one option for eastbound traffic and two for westbound vehicles vehicles. Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Jan. 2026 The first season is littered with strange narrative detours, thought-provoking philosophical takes, and a cinematic style that puts 99% of movies to shame. New Atlas, 28 Jan. 2026 One of the more memorable detours in Marty Supreme involves Marty's friend and colleague Béla (Géza Röhrig) telling a story about his time as a prisoner at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detours
Noun
  • There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio.
    Amanda Luberto, AZCentral.com, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Any statistical deviations from the predictions of the Standard Model could signify the involvement of unknown elementary particles.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Garcia’s finest new dishes underscore his talent for complexity that bypasses showiness.
    Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Scent bypasses your logical brain, hitting emotions and memory directly.
    Christopher Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Panthers goaltending coach Robb Tallas maps out the goaltenders’ schedule for the season well in advance and rarely deviates from that plan.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The episode delivers a surprising twist involving Thalia that deviates from Rick Riordan’s original mythology and sets up a grim reality for Percy as a looming war against Kronos approaches in Season 3.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • None of the portal departures started more than five games in 2025.
    Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The looming departures add pressure to an industry already contending with 350,000 open positions — a shortfall that’s expected to grow in coming years as the nation ages.
    Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Unfortunately, Stanton is so eager to build his overarching vision that the film avoids spending time with any of these people.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
  • This neutral boundary-setting phrase avoids unnecessary over-explaining.
    Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • That officer then turns his attention to the group of officers trying to restrain Pretti.
    Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Copenhagen Fashion Week turns 20 this year.
    Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • California’s redistricting measure temporarily circumvents the independent system previously used to draw congressional maps in an effort to combat Texas Republicans’ own redistricting move that could net the GOP up to five additional House seats in the next midterms.
    Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2025
  • This gambit circumvents the notorious way that measurements destroy quantumness.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 1 Oct. 2025
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, 27 Jan. 2026
  • At 21 seconds, the person filming the video drives past the confrontation, and the camera swings to the other side of the street as someone in the car yells profanities.
    Kif Leswing,Terri Cullen, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Detours.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detours. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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