roundabout

1 of 2

adjective

round·​about ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t 

: 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

: rotary sense 2

Synonyms

Adjective

• circuitous
• circular
• indirect

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

Adjective

In a roundabout way, one of the few things that could potentially stop Mbappe from smashing those individual records is precisely the calibre of player around him. —Thom Harris, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025

The project, spanning approximately 8.65 acres, is slated to facilitate the roundabout project on Highway 212 in Glencoe. —Janean Sorrell, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025

Noun

At Wednesday’s council meeting, a handful of public speakers offered various solutions to the roundabout issue. —Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025

In Gaza City, larger tent camps have appeared in free spaces like parks, school courtyards and even roundabouts. —Camilla Alcini, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1608, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for roundabout

• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout

Kids Definition

roundabout

adjective

round·​about

ˈrau̇n-də-ˌbau̇t

: not direct

went a roundabout way