Definition of excursivenext
as in rambling
passing from one topic to another an excursive story line that some readers of Melville's novel find very rewarding

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for excursive
Adjective
  • The North Carolina folk-rock band’s quiet and rambling third album exists in a cloud of dreamy contemplation.
    Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Trump’s speech was at times entertaining, rambling, repetitive, and combative.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The adventurous rapper and producer take a more refined approach on a collaborative album full of wandering thoughts and odd, understated beats.
    Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Another bill would require the Maryland Department of Health to create a webpage of resources for caregivers of individuals — due to age, disability, chronic illness or other functional limitations — including guidance on safety planning for wandering and elopement.
    Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The temporary and discursive structure allowed global visibility without institutional permanence.
    Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Real Man Adventures isn’t broken up into chapter-length sections of narrative, but rather brief, discursive essays.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The Iranian regime has yet to formally respond to a new proposal drafted by Pakistan, which was handed to Washington and Tehran on Sunday evening after indirect talks over the weekend.
    Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Wealthy couples frequently set up spousal lifetime access trusts, or SLATs, to get assets out of their estate but keep indirect access to them through their spouse.
    Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Excursive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excursive. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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