The workbench / The reference library
Suggest a wordMy library
The vocabulary collection

digression.

Noun
Formal
MEANING

A passage or movement away from the main subject before a possible return.

Use it for

a narrator wandering from the central story; context gained through a detour; pacing deliberately interrupted; a departure that may enrich or distract

Words that belong together

  • a narrative digression
  • a digression on history

On the page

The narrative digression explained why the village distrusted the new road.
He cut the digression when it delayed a question the reader needed answered.

Nearby words

departure from the subjectnarrative detour

Related words

detourdeparture from the subjectdigress
Word forms
Base
digression

Usage notes

Primary category: literary. Forms: Singular digression; plural digressions. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.

Practice this word in a sentence

Your margin notes

Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.