digression

as in tangent
a departure from the subject under consideration the professor's frequent and extended digressions are the stuff of campus legend

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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 digression That is why the film is not just telling a story in a totally straightforward way, but makes these kinds of little cinematic digressions. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025 The Bernanke digression is useful as a way of vivifying Bagehot’s words. John Tamny, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025 The streaming economy, however, has stretched the narrative timeline, elongated the arc, padding out a predetermined number of episodes with extraneous digressions, giving minor characters things to do that don’t necessarily contribute to the story, while not developing into much on their own. Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025 The duo soon reveal their exceptional digressions from type. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for digression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for digression
tangent
Noun
  • This sounds like something out of the mouth of a Quentin Tarantino character on a brilliant, oddball tangent.
    Scott Stossel, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
  • John Malkovich shows up for a tangent that is meant to be expositional, but really only needlessly delays what’s coming.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Digression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/digression. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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