roundabout

1 of 2

adjective

round·​about ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce roundabout (audio)
: circuitous, indirect
had to take a roundabout route
roundaboutness noun

roundabout

2 of 2

noun

1
: a circuitous route : detour
2
British : merry-go-round
3
: a short close-fitting jacket worn by men and boys especially in the 19th century
4

Examples of roundabout in a Sentence

Adjective He took a roundabout route to town. In a roundabout way, he told me that my help was not wanted.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
Republican attorneys general in Kansas and Missouri, who led the legal challenges against SAVE, argue that President Joe Biden is essentially trying to find a roundabout way to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court blocked its sweeping debt cancellation plan in June 2023. Annie Nova, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2024 Given Advance Colorado’s conservative background, Democrats have accused the group of running the ballot measure as a roundabout way of reducing government spending on existing programs. Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2024
Noun
The roundabout is designed to slow traffic moving through this area as well as markedly improve line of sight issues at this low visibility intersection. Brian Gioiele, Connecticut Post, 1 Nov. 2024 In the center of town is a roundabout, colloquially known as the Winooski speedway, which hosts live music, farmers markets, and is surrounded by exciting and innovative restaurants. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for roundabout 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1608, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of roundabout was in 1608

Dictionary Entries Near roundabout

Cite this Entry

“Roundabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roundabout. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

roundabout

adjective
round·​about
ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t
: not direct
went a roundabout way

More from Merriam-Webster on roundabout

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