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
Resilience is taking a much longer, more circuitous route to the moon; the Japanese lander isn't expected to reach lunar orbit until late May or early June.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Feb. 2025
The water then was pumped throughout the city via a circuitous network of huge pipes, many of them buried under Greenmount Avenue and York Road.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025
Although the company's rocket factory in Florida is only a few miles from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, because of the rocket and transporter's size, the procession had to follow a more circuitous route.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2024
Early Career The story of Martinez’s circuitous route to All-Stardom has been told time and again.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circuitous
Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Feb. 2025
The water then was pumped throughout the city via a circuitous network of huge pipes, many of them buried under Greenmount Avenue and York Road.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025
Although the company's rocket factory in Florida is only a few miles from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, because of the rocket and transporter's size, the procession had to follow a more circuitous route.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 30 Oct. 2024
Early Career The story of Martinez’s circuitous route to All-Stardom has been told time and again.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circuitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circuitous
Adjective
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Fans got justice for Tanya — but in a roundabout way.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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The states had argued that former President Joe Biden, with SAVE, was essentially trying to find a roundabout way to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping debt cancellation plan in June 2023.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report her 6-year-old daughter JonBenét missing, and found a rambling ransom note left inside their Boulder, Colorado, home.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
20 Dec. 2024
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His statement came a day after the release of the Netflix series, which takes viewers back to the morning after Christmas 28 years ago, when JonBenét’s mother called 911 to report finding a rambling ransom note and her daughter missing.—
Elizabeth Chuck,
NBC News,
3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Iranians reportedly agreed to engage in indirect talks with the U.S., through mediators in Oman.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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However, one method is direct and the other is indirect.—
Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Words, including those of artists themselves—as prolix in their way as critics, curators, and historians—can serve vision but can also deflect from it.—
Barry Schwabsky,
ARTnews.com,
3 Sep. 2019
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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
Adjective
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The circular dots found near the center of the fossil indicate that a predatory marine reptile called a mosasaur took some bites of it.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
16 Apr. 2025
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The brand was recognized for using its knowledge to understand how trash can be used as part of a circular sustainability ecosystem for future automobiles.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circuitous. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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