: the act or an instance of leaving the main subject in an extended written or verbal expression of thought : the act or an instance of digressing in a discourse or other usually organized literary work
Every place Hamilton, his parents, or his wife visited over a century's time is described at length; everyone he met merits at least a minor biographical digression. Willard Sterne Randall
the professor's frequent and extended digressions are the stuff of campus legend
Recent Examples on the WebAbout this essential read, the title itself requires an early digression that may or may not bring clarity at first. John Tamny, Forbes, 6 July 2022 Even Hitch-22 is structured by topic, anecdote, and digression, and thus lacks unity beyond style and persona. Christian Lorentzen, Harper’s Magazine , 20 July 2022 But in a sense that’s a digression given the total redefinition of inflation that Hilsenrath and Timiraos are attempting. John Tamny, Forbes, 24 Apr. 2022 Following a brief, but delightful digression as Malone and Lowe traded quotes from the movie, the rapper did return to the topic at hand. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 1 June 2022 All of which calls for a digression, or acknowledgement. John Tamny, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022 Interstitial case studies could merit entire chapters, from a Monacan burial mound in Thomas Jefferson's backyard to a digression on whether gender or occupation can be inferred from remains. Amy Brady, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2022 In one startling but illuminating digression, Mr. Lowenstein even offers a pinch of compassion for the draft rioters who marauded through Manhattan in July 1863. Harold Holzer, WSJ, 28 Feb. 2022 This digression hopefully makes sense in consideration of the always breathy commentary that follows statements from Federal Reserve officials. John Tamny, Forbes, 30 Jan. 2022 See More