Meaning

Indirect, circuitous, or circumlocutionary..

Definitions by Sense

1. Indirect, circuitous, or circumlocutionary.
2. Encircling; enveloping; comprehensive.
3. (chiefly UK, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, Australia and sometimes US, especially New England) A road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island.
4. (chiefly British) A horizontal wheel which rotates around a central axis when pushed and on which children ride, often found in parks as a children's play apparatus.
5. A fairground carousel.
6. A detour.
7. A short, close-fitting coat or jacket worn by men or boys, especially in the 19th century.
8. (archaic) A round dance.

Example Sentences

[S]he fled, running like a deer, doubling and turning through alleys and back streets until by a very roundabout road she reached her own room.

"Really, Bill, I think your best plan would be to go straight to father and tell him the whole thing.—You don't want him to hear about it in a roundabout way."

Mr. Rather flew to the area in a roundabout fashion, first landing in Bahrain, from there flying to Islamabad and then heading to Kabul by land.

Descartes is compelled to fall back upon a curious roundabout argument to prove that there is a world. He must first prove that God exists, and then argue that God would not deceive us into thinking that it exists when it does not.

The third sort is of those who readily and sincerely follow reason, but for want of having that which one may call a large, sound, roundabout sense, have not a full view of all that relates to the question.

Word Forms

• more roundabout
• most roundabout
• roundabouts
• roundabouting
• roundabouted

Synonyms for round about

Related Words

When Should You Use Round about?

Use round about when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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