ROUNDABOUT Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

roundabout 1 of 2

adjective

ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t

Definition of roundabout

as in indirect

not straightforward or direct took a roundabout route to the beach

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

roundabout

2 of 2

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 roundabout

Adjective

Without revealing too much, this structure from al-Mansour and co-writer Brad Niemann ends up having a roundabout reason too, given a bizarre third-act twist that renders moot the film’s entire point of view, along with its central themes. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 June 2026 Cars and trucks piled into the roundabout, horns blaring. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026

Noun

Following a behind-schedule and over-budget redevelopment by Transport for London, the roundabout was replaced last year with a byzantine road and cycle lane layout which, peppered with traffic lights, causes constant congestion in the area. — Ian King, CNBC, 10 June 2026 That's because the 250-foot structure would be built on a roundabout near the main entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for over 400,000 active-duty service members, veterans and their families. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for roundabout

Recent Examples of Synonyms for roundabout

Adjective

The return is indirect and the case is harder to make, but skimping here is what causes horizon-one wins to plateau and horizon-three ambitions to collapse.

— Farooque Munshi, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
That said, there is indirect benefit if this year’s breaks set a precedent.

— Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of indirect

Noun

That includes $10 million for the underpass and about $2 million for a traffic signal at Avimor Drive and several collector roads built during the project’s early phases.

— Noah Daly July 17, Idaho Statesman, 17 July 2026
People should expect flooding of small creeks and streams, roads, underpasses, urban areas and other low-lying or poor-drainage locations.

— Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 22 June 2026

Definition of underpass

Adjective

The firms have invested billions into AI labs that, in turn, spend heavily on cloud computing from those same companies, creating what Moody's described as a circular AI ecosystem.

— Hugh Son, CNBC, 24 July 2026
Most stories of this ilk build a linear trajectory—from performance, occasionally to education, to deduction, and finally to the household—but No Name is a circular story.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026

Definition of circular

Noun

The buttons, switches and rotary controls also have a satisfying action, avoiding the flimsy feel that can undermine an otherwise attractive economy-car interior.

— Karl Brauer, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Chouinard says low-precipitation rotary nozzles, such as MP Rotators, are the clear winners.

— The Spruce, The Spruce, 20 July 2026

Definition of rotary

Adjective

But what once looked like a potential breakout career in San Francisco has instead become a winding journey through multiple organizations, with the latest chapter ending after a short stay in the Dodgers' system.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
As such, the show takes you on a winding journey of France’s influential craftsmanship and its impact on America via archival looks, dazzling objects, and more modern creations.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 May 2026

Definition of winding

Noun

Trump wants to build the arch on a traffic circle on the Virginia side of the Memorial Bridge from the District of Columbia.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
In a traffic circle, no one has the right of way except someone who’s already in the circle.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2026

Definition of traffic circle

Noun

The rail, which lined a four-lane road near an overpass, was an egregious assembly of one of Sicking’s older designs.

— Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
The Kansas Department of Transportation is responsible for work on the overpass and the Kansas Turnpike Authority is responsible for the ramps, according to the government.

— Sofi Zeman July 14, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026

Definition of overpass

Noun

Merchants have to pay interchange fees to the bank that issued the card as well as payments to the credit card network and the company processing the transaction.

— Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2026
While the mobility program has big-ticket components such as relocating the I-91/I-84 interchange in Hartford, smaller projects such as RiverLink are seen as more attainable in the near future.

— Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2026

Definition of interchange

Browse Nearby Words

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roundabouts

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“Roundabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roundabout. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of roundabout

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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