DETOURS Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adherences

detours

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of detour

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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 detours

Noun

The city of Sacramento advised residents to check course maps and be prepared for detours and closures. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 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 After four years of construction and detours, the Sellers Avenue Bridge in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, is reopening, bringing relief to business owners who said the closure took a toll on their livelihoods. — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 14 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 Major weekend closures and lane restrictions are set to hit several popular metro Phoenix freeways, and the Arizona Department of Transportation warned drivers to use detours as needed. — Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Drivers on their way to Louder Than Life may want to consider detours if their route involves southbound Interstate 65. — Ruby Grisin, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Sep. 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for detours

Noun

These deviations are due to the interaction between the helium in their atmosphere and traces of other elements, which vary between white dwarfs, depending on what material has interacted with the star over the course of its lifetime.

— Jack Guy, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
This type of structured risk assessment is already extensively used in industry through HAZOP reviews, where potential deviations, causes, consequences and safeguards are systematically examined before a process is put into operation.

— Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of deviations

Verb

The use of global depositary receipts (GDRs), which allow backers to buy a stake in a foreign company without leaving their home market, bypasses regulatory barriers that have held up intra-African investment.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Because mRNA technology bypasses the slow process of growing viruses in eggs, mRNA manufacturing allows for later influenza strain selection and fast production, unlike traditional vaccines.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of bypasses

Verb

The Netflix series gently deviates from the source material at times, including swapping the book’s Lord Caterham for Lady Caterham, played by Helena Bonham Carter.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Her position deviates from her religion as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which publicly opposes the ballot measure.

— Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of deviates

Noun

Conventional wisdom suggested this run of success would end for the Brewers after the departures of president of baseball operations David Stearns and manager Craig Counsell.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
The two designers’ departures were revealed Thursday after their collections faced criticism for the last few seasons.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of departures

Verb

This game may come down to whichever team controls the clock and avoids turnovers.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Setting the shifting moods expertly is Michael Giacchino’s score that nicely avoids the clichés of the genre(s) while still honoring them.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of avoids

Verb

Saudi Arabia's crucial East-West pipeline that circumvents the Strait of Hormuz is pumping oil at its full capacity of 7 million barrels a day, according to a person familiar with the matter.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
Additionally, because the $50 co-payment circumvents Part D, the amount doesn’t count toward a beneficiary’s annual deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.

— Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of circumvents

Verb

Elizondo’s wide-ranging production discography, which swings from hip-hop to country, rock and R&B, attracted Greta Van Fleet.

— Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026
When the Spider swings past a silverish-gray newsstand filled with copies of the Daily Bugle, the frame becomes black-and-white, even in the color version.

— Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of swings

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detouring

detours

detract

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Style

“Detours.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detours. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of detours

noun

verb

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