as in to wander
to speak or write about something that is different from the main subject being discussed
He digressed so often that it was hard to follow what he was saying. If I can digress for a moment, I'd like to briefly mention her earlier films.
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Recent Examples of digress
There are less rules outside, fewer boundaries: coffee dates prolong, walks meander, thoughts digress.
—
Elisa Wouk Almino
editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Other more doc-style moments digress to explore the family’s history, which stretches all the way back to when Guinea-Bissau was a Portuguese colony and slavery abounded.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Here must digress to a famous (or infamous) decided by the U.S. Supreme Court involving pornography, being Redrup v. New York, 386 U.S. 767 (1967).
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
The islanders can no more control whether the whales come or go than Ella can control her cancer or Mayor Annie can corral a group of quibbling, digressing neighbors into decisive action.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
Mahler handled this melodrama with remarkable composure; apparently, the two men digressed into a discussion of the brokenness of modern art.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The operative word is slightly; don’t digress into the weeds.
—Jerry Weissman, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Elisa Wouk Almino
editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Other more doc-style moments digress to explore the family’s history, which stretches all the way back to when Guinea-Bissau was a Portuguese colony and slavery abounded.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Here must digress to a famous (or infamous) decided by the U.S. Supreme Court involving pornography, being Redrup v. New York, 386 U.S. 767 (1967).
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
The islanders can no more control whether the whales come or go than Ella can control her cancer or Mayor Annie can corral a group of quibbling, digressing neighbors into decisive action.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
Mahler handled this melodrama with remarkable composure; apparently, the two men digressed into a discussion of the brokenness of modern art.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The operative word is slightly; don’t digress into the weeds.
—Jerry Weissman, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for digress
Verb
-
Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi Even if not a huge art buff, take the five minutes to wander to the Contarelli chapel inside this small catholic church which is just a short stroll from the Pantheon.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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At least one wolf wandered into parts of southern Jefferson County and western Douglas County in the last month, according to the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If the Giants don’t deviate from their rotation, Tyler Mahle will pitch on Saturday, while Landen Roupp and Adrian Houser will handle the first two games of the series in San Diego on Monday and Tuesday.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Accordingly, the warring factions have competed to depict themselves as the true embodiment of MAGA and paint their rivals as undermining Trump or deviating from his precepts.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For years, Republican lawmakers and education leaders have argued that sociology — especially high-enrollment introductory courses — has been overtaken by progressive ideology and strayed from empirical scholarship.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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The Sonos Play doesn't stray far from the company's longtime industrial design.—
Eric Zeman,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Digress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/digress. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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