Digression

/dɪˈɡrɛʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing.

The professor's digression about his vacation was amusing, but we eventually returned to the lecture topic.

An instance of wandering away from the topic at hand.

While the book was filled with engaging stories, the frequent digressions made it difficult to follow the main plot.

A speech or piece of writing that departs from the main topic.

Her digression about her childhood memories took us all by surprise but added a personal touch to her presentation.

From Latin 'digressio', meaning 'a going aside'.

to digress

to stray from the main subject

digress from the topic

to move away from the main issue being discussed

diverge

to differ in opinion or approach.

tangent

a line that touches a curve at a single point but does not cross it.

Going off on a tangent

We were talking about movies, but then he went off on a digression about his new car.

Rambling

The meeting was full of digressions, making it hard to get to the point.