WordValedigress
to depart from the main topic
In more detail
1. (verb) to go away from the main subject when speaking or writing
2. (verb) to leave the usual or planned route
Examples
- 1. The teacher tends to digress during lectures and talks about topics unrelated to the course.
- 2. We digressed from our planned path when we took the scenic route through the mountains.
How to use digress
Digress is most commonly used in formal speaking or writing contexts to describe when a speaker or writer temporarily leaves the main subject. It carries a mild negative connotation suggesting a lack of focus, though brief digressions are often acceptable and even valuable for illustration. The term is less frequently used for literal physical deviation from a route.
Common phrases
- digress from the main point
- digress into details
- digress from the topic
- tend to digress
- briefly digress
Synonyms
deviate · stray · wander · diverge · depart
Opposites
focus · concentrate · continue
Word family
digression (noun) · digressive (adjective) · digressively (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use digress as a transitive verb without a preposition, saying 'digress the topic' instead of the correct 'digress from the topic'.
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