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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
In a roundabout way, giving away Google's search tech could actually increase its influence. Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025 So, in a roundabout way, the current economic storm is an unexpected boon for student loan borrowers. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Noun
Shots fired from the ‘dangerous zone’ Heba Joda, who was in the crowd, said gunfire broke out at a roundabout where previous shootings have occurred, about half a mile from the aid site. Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 The deadly shooting occurred at the Al-Alam roundabout near an aid center west of Rafah city at around 6 a.m. local time, according to the health ministry. Morgan Winsor, ABC News, 7 June 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Roundabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roundabout. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

roundabout

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

More from Merriam-Webster on roundabout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!