Circuitous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /(ˌ)sər-ˈkyü-ə-təs/ cir·cu·i·tous

Meaning & Definition of Circuitous

Circuitous (adjective)

  1. having a circular or winding course
  2. not being forthright or direct in language or action

Circuitous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not straightforward or direct

    "we took a circuitous route to the airport so as to avoid the massive traffic jam on the highway"

    similar: circular, indirect, roundabout
    related: crooked, curvy, serpentine, sinuous, tortuous, twisting, winding, meandering, rambling, wandering, circumlocutory, long-winded, prolix, verbose, deceitful, deceptive, devious, dishonest, duplicitous, insidious, misleading, sneaky, underhand, underhanded, calculating, crafty, cunning, subtle, tricky
    opposite: direct, straight, straightforward
    near: candid, forthright, frank, honest, open, plain, unconcealed, undisguised

  2. using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea

    "a circuitous explanation for what seems like a fairly basic concept"

    similar: circumlocutory, diffuse, garrulous, logorrheic, long-winded, pleonastic, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy
    related: chatty, communicative, conversational, gabby, loquacious, talkative, talky, voluble, periphrastic, redundant, repetitious, tautological, tautologous, embellished, embroidered, exaggerated, bombastic, gaseous, gassy, grandiloquent, highfalutin
    opposite: compact, concise, crisp, pithy, succinct, terse
    near: brief, short, aphoristic, epigrammatic, sententious, compendious, summary, abbreviated, abridged, condensed, shortened, abrupt, blunt, brusque, curt, laconic, snippy

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Circuitous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Circuitous:

circular, indirect, roundabout, circumlocutory, diffuse, garrulous, logorrheic, long-winded, pleonastic, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Circuitous

Words with the opposite meaning of Circuitous:

direct, straight, straightforward, compact, concise, crisp, pithy, succinct, terse

Related Words for Circuitous

crooked, curvy, serpentine, sinuous, tortuous, twisting, winding, meandering, wandering, deceitful, deceptive, devious, dishonest, duplicitous, insidious, misleading, sneaky, underhand, underhanded, calculating, crafty, cunning, subtle, tricky, chatty, communicative, conversational, gabby, loquacious, talkative

Near Antonyms of Circuitous

candid, forthright, frank, honest, open, plain, unconcealed, undisguised, brief, short, aphoristic, epigrammatic, sententious, compendious, summary, abbreviated, abridged, condensed, shortened, abrupt, blunt, brusque, curt, laconic, snippy

Word Forms of Circuitous

Derived words: circuitously (adverb), circuitousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Circuitous

perhaps from Medieval Latin circuitosus, from Latin circuitus see circuit:1

First known use: 1664

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Circuitous

Frequently Asked Questions about Circuitous

What does "Circuitous" mean?

"Circuitous" means having a circular or winding course. As an adjective, it is defined as: having a circular or winding course. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Circuitous"?

Other words for "Circuitous" include circular, indirect, roundabout, circumlocutory, diffuse, garrulous, logorrheic and long-winded. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Circuitous" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Circuitous"?

There are 59 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Circuitous". Common alternatives include circular, indirect, roundabout, circumlocutory, diffuse, garrulous, logorrheic, long-winded, pleonastic and prolix.

What is the opposite of "Circuitous"?

Antonyms of "Circuitous" include direct, straight, straightforward, compact, concise, crisp, pithy and succinct. Near antonyms include candid, forthright, frank and honest.

How do you use "Circuitous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Circuitous" in a sentence: "we took a circuitous route to the airport so as to avoid the massive traffic jam on the highway"; "a circuitous explanation for what seems like a fairly basic concept".

Is "Circuitous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Circuitous" is an adjective.

Is "Circuitous" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Circuitous" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Circuitous"?

"Circuitous" is pronounced /(ˌ)sər-ˈkyü-ə-təs/ and divided into syllables as cir·cu·i·tous.