Roundaboutly: meaning, definitions and examples

Use this word when someone is speaking or acting in a way that is not straightforward but rather takes a more circular or less direct route.

• He roundaboutly admitted that he made a mistake.
• She explained the plan roundaboutly, leaving out many details.

Best used when something is done or communicated in a way that is not straightforward or not directly connected to the main subject.

• She indirectly hinted at her dissatisfaction with the project.
• The instructions were indirectly given, making them hard to follow.

Appropriate when describing a very indirect or long-winded path or way of doing something, often physically or metaphorically.

• The car took a circuitous route to avoid traffic.
• The conversation moved circuitously through various unrelated topics.

Useful for describing something that is very complicated and difficult to follow, often with a connotation of causing confusion or hardship.

• The road wound tortuously through the mountains, making the drive difficult.
• His argument proceeded tortuously, making it hard to understand his point.