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 Word Forms

• digressional adjective
• digressionary 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

As he does in the book, the legendary actor dissects how he approached the role, adding a digression about Joseph Stalin being scariest when he went quiet.

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The settings—generic spaces such as cafés, train stations, hotel lobbies, and offices—tend to be described with similar brevity, while the detectives’ actions are recounted in prose generally lacking metaphor, simile, or fanciful digression.

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Lepore follows chronology, flavoring her narrative with graphs, digressions, even a litany of failed amendments.

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Shot on 35mm VistaVision, “One Battle After Another” will be a rare chance to see Anderson bring his sly digressions, oddball humor and tonal whiplash to a canvas usually reserved for Bayhem.

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Curiously enough, one could argue that all histories can be reduced to family histories — with all their inconsistencies and digressions.

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Related Words

• detour 
• footnote