1
as in roundabout
not straightforward or direct
we took a circuitous route to the airport so as to avoid the massive traffic jam on the highway
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2
as in rambling
using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea
a circuitous explanation for what seems like a fairly basic concept
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Recent Examples of circuitous
Their lives were further complicated in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which shares a lengthy border with Moldova, as a Chisinau-to-Moscow flight suddenly became a circuitous, nearly daylong journey via Turkey or Romania just for Igor to see his wife and son.
—
James Mirtle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Powell’s route to education was a bit circuitous.
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
The growing attention that nuclear power is getting is a prime example of this circuitous, second- and third-order benefit from AI playing out.
—Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Tiny diaphragms, cantilevers, vibrating masses, or circuitous channels, usually smaller than 100 micrometers (the diameter of a human hair), respond to a physical stimulus and then transduce it to an electronic signal.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Nov. 2018
See All Example Sentences for circuitous
James Mirtle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Powell’s route to education was a bit circuitous.
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
The growing attention that nuclear power is getting is a prime example of this circuitous, second- and third-order benefit from AI playing out.
—Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Tiny diaphragms, cantilevers, vibrating masses, or circuitous channels, usually smaller than 100 micrometers (the diameter of a human hair), respond to a physical stimulus and then transduce it to an electronic signal.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Nov. 2018
See All Example Sentences for circuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circuitous
Adjective
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Fishers nixes plans for another Allisonville roundabout after crash spike at 96th Street circle Noblesville has dominated Indiana soccer for years.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
4 Sep. 2025
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As such, the networks aren’t on the hook for makegoods in the increasingly unlikely event of under-deliveries, which is a roundabout way of suggesting that the annual audience tallies are mostly of interest to PR types.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The videos, which depict handwritten journals and a display of high-powered weaponry, paint a portrait of a person with a rambling and deeply nihilistic outlook, according to analyses by law enforcement and ABC News.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
27 Aug. 2025
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There’s nothing worse than a long, rambling story that’s resolved in an only-mildly humorous ending.—
Jay Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Hawaii will continue to feel indirect impacts today from moist air Kiko brought into the area and a weak wind field left in its wake, the National Weather Service said.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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This indirect pollution makes up about 80-90% of an insurance company's total climate risk exposure, far more than the emissions from running their own offices and operations.—
Mindy Lubber,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In 1949, a young American artist named Ray Johnson left Black Mountain College near Asheville, N.C., moved to New York City and began to explore his prolix talents, both visual and verbal.—
Roberta Smith,
New York Times,
30 May 2024
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His answer is this book: a laudably sincere, exasperatingly prolix and occasionally affecting rumination on the state of Egypt—its society, culture, history and politics—pegged to the maddening bureaucracy of the archive.—
Kapil Komireddi,
WSJ,
12 Mar. 2023
Adjective
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Kappahl offers secondhand clothing, across all categories, online in Sweden through circular software partner reCRQL, with further expansion plans on the horizon.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Sep. 2025
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As per the press release, these included small, circular protrusions or bumps, elliptical protrusions with a fingerprint-like pattern, and a third set of large, round marks.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuitous. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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