Synonyms of detours

detours 1 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deviations
• departures
• deflections
• diversions
• divergences
• divergencies
• divagations
• regressions
• reversions
• retrogressions

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adherences

detours

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of detour

1

as in bypasses

to avoid by going around

we had to detour the construction zone in order to get to the stadium

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bypasses
• avoids
• circumvents
• escapes
• circumnavigates
• skirts
• evades
• eludes
• shakes
• shuns
• eschews
• dodges
• flees
• leapfrogs
• ducks

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• faces
• meets
• confronts
• seeks
• pursues
• accepts
• embraces
• welcomes
• courts

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deviates
• turns
• swings
• veers
• swerves
• diverges
• wheels
• turns off
• zigzags
• tacks
• sheers
• turns back
• doubles (back)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of detours

Noun

With very few alternate routes, Caltrans is recommending two lengthy detours around the closure. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Those detours would often be the inspiration that produced new design ideas. — Steven Weill, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026

Motorists should expect delays and detours, follow instructions from flaggers and use caution in construction zones. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Instead, developing Digit 5 has required large detours to incorporate requirements that seemed unrelated to my original vision. — IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2026

Work is underway to replace the failing Eckert Bridge in Boise’s Barber Valley, which means commuters can expect detours for the next two years. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2026

Shipping containers placed by police along key routes in Islamabad since last month to block potential rallies have disrupted traffic and forced residents in the capital and neighboring Rawalpindi to take lengthy detours. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Social outings, sports events and fun activities with kids might offer exciting but unexpected detours. — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2026

Verb

Fitzharris detours into the pseudoscience of the day, which included optography, the attempt to photograph the last image scalded onto a dead person’s retinas. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

The bridge closure, which went into effect this week and is expected to last 14 months, detours six different bus routes in the area, relying on the adjacent Walnut and Chestnut Street passes while the Market Street Bridge is closed. — Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

But Mitchell’s film also increasingly detours from the Spielberg playbook. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Sanguinetti’s tender film detours through the motions of time and eventually brings fleshiness to her presence. — Manahil Tahira, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026

The trail undulates a bit over rocky rises and occasionally detours into the woods, but experienced hikers shouldn't have any problems. — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 7 June 2026