digression

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 The main plot, which involves some very old beef between Said and Ilya, is subtly woven and sometimes gets lost in digressions, though Grisebach manages to brings things together by the last act. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026 It is abridged, so there’s not nearly as many 90-page digressions or pseudoscientific cetology musings. Marah Eakin, Vulture, 14 May 2026 Hunt and his director, Ashley Rodbro, build in some visual variety, whether that means screening one of Hunt’s public access sketches, cringy, or a digression into a lighting design demo, a nod to Hunt’s Illinois State degree in lighting design (and acting). Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026 Problem solving may also suffer without these low-effort digressions. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for digression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for digression
tangent
Noun
  • In conversation, Friedland is rapaciously curious, if slightly disorganized, prone to tangents that lead to a candidness that can verge on cringe or awkward.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026
  • In a near-seven-minute tangent during Presti’s annual end-of-season availability, which ran almost two hours, Presti addressed the discourse surrounding SGA’s proclivity to draw fouls — a subject that swelled this season between opposing coaches and players to fans and pundits.
    Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 9 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Digression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/digression. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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