Definition of DIGRESSION (original) (raw)
1
: the act or an instance of leaving the main subject in an extended written or verbal expression of thought : the act or an instance of digressing in a discourse or other usually organized literary work
Every place Hamilton, his parents, or his wife visited over a century's time is described at length; everyone he met merits at least a minor biographical digression.—
Willard Sterne Randall
Synonyms
Examples of digression in a Sentence
the professor's frequent and extended digressions are the stuff of campus legend
Recent Examples on the Web Harris’ needling prompted Trump to launch into the sort of freewheeling personal attacks and digressions that his advisers and supporters have tried to steer him away from. —Josh Boak, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2024 But, with Rozier, digression is so central to the achievement that even an accurate précis can render a film nearly unrecognizable. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2024 Wallace’s voice didn’t come from mimicking others, but from allowing his unique perspective — complete with all its quirks and digressions — to flow onto the page. —Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2024 In one of The Occasional Human Sacrifice’s many digressions, Elliott talks about an alternative theory of the roots of post-traumatic stress experienced by Vietnam veterans. —Seth Mnookin, The Atlantic, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for digression 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'digression.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of digression was in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near digression
Cite this Entry
“Digression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/digression. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 14 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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