digression

[ dih-gresh-uhn, dahy- ]

noun

1. the act of digressing.

   Synonyms: divergence, deviation

2. a passage or section that deviates from the central theme in speech or writing.

   Synonyms: divergence, deviation

Other Words From

• di·gression·al di·gression·ary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of digression¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin dīgressiōn-, stem of dīgressiō “departure,” from dīgress(us) “departed” (past participle of dīgredī “to go off, depart”; digress ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

Woodward concludes the digression: “I will never forget the intensity of his worry.”

From Slate

That digression isn’t entirely irrelevant: The drone wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places we were never officially told about have been consigned to the memory hole, along with the entire tragic and gruesome history of America’s misbegotten 20-year war in the Middle East.

From Salon

But he defended his position in a digression that he said was unscripted, in an effort to neutralize an issue that Democrats hope to make central in 2024.

From New York Times

She also admitted, in a digression that the lawyers’ questions did not seem to prompt, that she thought Mr. Wade had a sexist view of the world, and said it was the reason they broke up last summer.

From New York Times

Joe Biden is not known for pith in his public remarks; he is known for spiraling, ungrammatical sentence construction, digression, and avuncular nonsense.

From Slate

Related Words

• detour
• footnote