digression

noun

di·​gres·​sion dī-ˈgre-shən 

də-

1

: the act or an instance of leaving the main subject in an extended written or verbal expression of thought : the act or an instance of digressing in a discourse or other usually organized literary work

Every place Hamilton, his parents, or his wife visited over a century's time is described at length; everyone he met merits at least a minor biographical digression.

—Willard Sterne Randall

2

archaic : a going aside

digressional

dī-ˈgresh-nəl 

də-

-ə-nᵊl

adjective

digressionary

dī-ˈgre-shə-ˌner-ē 

də-

adjective

Synonyms

• aside
• divagation
• excursion
• tangent

Examples of digression in a Sentence

the professor's frequent and extended digressions are the stuff of campus legend

Recent Examples on the Web

Organizational and systems theories suggest that introducing an organizing entity into a competitive environment can minimize digression, maximize synergy, and optimize performance—provided common goals and shared values exist. —Luis E. Romero, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

To sustain that illusion, Corbet also sticks with a conventional, unquestioned naturalism, a straightforward narrative continuity that proceeds as if on tracks and allows for none of the seeming digressions and spontaneity that would make its characters feel real. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025

After all, these are only minutes-long digressions. —R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025

Tristram relates this tale of woe in a tangle of digressions, punctuated with breathless dashes. —Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see digress

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1