circuitously
In roundabout fashion
In a roundabout or indirect way, taking a longer path than necessary to reach a destination or conclusion: We drove circuitously through the hills, He circuitously avoided answering the question.
The word suggests deliberate indirection—whether navigating physical terrain or steering around a topic.
Via intermediate means
- detourAlternate path around obstruction
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
- long wayConsiderable distance traveled
- scenic routeRoad selected for beauty
backroads · deviously · divergently · waywardly · ramblingly · erratically · aimlessly · wanderingly
At a slant
- evasivelyAvoiding direct response
- tangentiallyIn a loosely related way
- peripherallyIn a marginal way
- allusivelyBy subtle reference
periphrastic · circumlocutory · equivocally · digressively · sidelong · implicitly · covertly · vaguely
Following a winding course
- serpentinelyIn a winding manner
- sinuouslyIn winding curves
- tortuouslyIn a twisting way
- spirallyIn coiled fashion
indirectly
Via intermediate means
- detourAlternate path around obstruction
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
- long wayConsiderable distance traveled
scenic route · backroads · deviously · divergently · waywardly · ramblingly · erratically · aimlessly · wanderingly · nomadically
obliquely
At a slant
- evasivelyAvoiding direct response
- tangentiallyIn a loosely related way
- peripherallyIn a marginal way
allusively · periphrastic · circumlocutory · equivocally · digressively · sidelong · implicitly · covertly · vaguely · hintingly
meandering
Following a winding course
- serpentinelyIn a winding manner
- sinuouslyIn winding curves
- tortuouslyIn a twisting way
circuitouslydirectly
Without intermediary steps
straight · straightforwardly · in a straight line · as the crow flies · beeline
circuitouslydirectly
Without intermediary steps
straightforwardly · bluntly · plainly · forthrightly · frankly
circuitouslydirectly
Without intermediary steps
efficiently · straightforwardly · simply · immediately · expeditiously