Digression
noun
A temporary leave from the main subject in speaking or writing.
At one point, he went off in a digression about his dog which distracted from his main argument.
Often appears as...
- off in a digression
- brief digression
noun
An action of moving away from the main subject or task.
The professor's digression into her personal life was unexpected during the lecture.
Often appears as...
- unexpected digression
- lengthy digression
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
noun
A section in a discourse or piece of writing that deviates from the main theme.
The author used several digressions to add humor and context to his historical novel.
Often appears as...
- literary digression
- narrative digression
Usage tips
Literary
noun
A temporary leave from the main subject in speaking or writing.
At one point, he went off in a digression about his dog which distracted from his main argument.
Often appears as...
- off in a digression
- brief digression
noun
An action of moving away from the main subject or task.
The professor's digression into her personal life was unexpected during the lecture.
Often appears as...
- unexpected digression
- lengthy digression
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
noun
A section in a discourse or piece of writing that deviates from the main theme.
The author used several digressions to add humor and context to his historical novel.
Often appears as...
- literary digression
- narrative digression
Usage tips
Literary
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Stay Relevant
Use digressions sparingly so the main topic isn't overshadowed by side comments.
His speech was good, but his frequent digressions diluted his message.
Pro Tip 2/3Signpost Clearly
Signal your return to the main subject after a digression to keep listeners on track.
After the brief digression, I'll now continue with our initial discussion.
Pro Tip 3/3Maintain Engagement
Make sure your digressions are engaging and enrich the main topic.
Despite the digression about ancient Rome, it made the lecture more vivid.
Pro Tip 1/3Stay Relevant
Use digressions sparingly so the main topic isn't overshadowed by side comments.
His speech was good, but his frequent digressions diluted his message.
Pro Tip 2/3Signpost Clearly
Signal your return to the main subject after a digression to keep listeners on track.
After the brief digression, I'll now continue with our initial discussion.
Pro Tip 3/3Maintain Engagement
Make sure your digressions are engaging and enrich the main topic.
Despite the digression about ancient Rome, it made the lecture more vivid.
Pro Tip 1/3Stay Relevant
Use digressions sparingly so the main topic isn't overshadowed by side comments.
His speech was good, but his frequent digressions diluted his message.
Pro Tip 2/3Signpost Clearly
Signal your return to the main subject after a digression to keep listeners on track.
After the brief digression, I'll now continue with our initial discussion.
Pro Tip 3/3Maintain Engagement
Make sure your digressions are engaging and enrich the main topic.
Despite the digression about ancient Rome, it made the lecture more vivid.
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Video examples
Why should you read...
Why do wars start? What are good battlefield tactics? Do nations rise and fall on the actions of so-called great men like Napoleon, or are there larger cultural and economic forces at play? These extended digressions are part of what make "War and Peace" so panoramic in scope.
Video examples
4 Powerful Poems about...
and a bit of a dumb blonde. Dionysians don't do balance. Balance, in other words, has never been my strong point. But I digress. More and more these days, digression seems the most direct route through
Video examples
Why should you read...
Why do wars start? What are good battlefield tactics? Do nations rise and fall on the actions of so-called great men like Napoleon, or are there larger cultural and economic forces at play? These extended digressions are part of what make "War and Peace" so panoramic in scope.
Video examples
4 Powerful Poems about...
and a bit of a dumb blonde. Dionysians don't do balance. Balance, in other words, has never been my strong point. But I digress. More and more these days, digression seems the most direct route through
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Serge Schmemann
Journalist
Writing for adults and writing for young people is really not that different. As a reporter, I have always tried to write as clearly and simply as possible. I like clean, unadorned writing. So writing for a younger audience was largely an exercise in making my prose even more clear and direct, and in avoiding complicated digressions.
Quote examples
John Irving
American Novelist
I believe you have constructive accidents en route through a novel only because you have mapped a clear way. If you have confidence that you have a clear direction to take, you always have confidence to explore other ways; if they prove to be mere digressions, you'll recognize that and make the necessary revisions.
Quote examples
Erik Larson
American Author
Digression is my passion. I'm not kidding. I love telling the main stories, but in some ways, what I love most is using those narratives as a way of stringing together the interesting stories that people have kind of forgotten and that are kind of surprising.
Quote examples
G. Willow Wilson
American Writer
In prose, you have a lot more room for digression, for very meaty kinds of dialogues. In graphic novels, you're writing haiku-length dialogue. Your job is to be efficient, to get out of the way of the art.
Quote examples
Daniel Woodrell
American Writer
I tell the story by feel most of the time, and I am not much given to labyrinthian digressions but seem to be naturally drawn to compression and pace, and the feelings come about on their own.
Quote examples
P. J. O'Rourke
American Comedian
Excessive speed and quantity are, like chattiness and digression, besetting sins of cyber-assisted authorship.
Quote examples
Varun Tej
Indian Actor
Fidaa' completely sticks to being a love story. It doesn't have any digressions. Opposites attract, they say.
Quote examples
Mike Birbiglia
American Comedian
Sometimes people say, 'You're the best at digressions.' And that's actually a real compliment to me.
Quote examples
Robert Burns
Scottish Poet
And there begins a lang digression about the lords o' the creation.
Quote examples
William Vickrey
Canadian Educator
This paper was one of my digressions into abstract economics.
Quote examples
Serge Schmemann
Journalist
Writing for adults and writing for young people is really not that different. As a reporter, I have always tried to write as clearly and simply as possible. I like clean, unadorned writing. So writing for a younger audience was largely an exercise in making my prose even more clear and direct, and in avoiding complicated digressions.
Quote examples
John Irving
American Novelist
I believe you have constructive accidents en route through a novel only because you have mapped a clear way. If you have confidence that you have a clear direction to take, you always have confidence to explore other ways; if they prove to be mere digressions, you'll recognize that and make the necessary revisions.
Quote examples
Erik Larson
American Author
Digression is my passion. I'm not kidding. I love telling the main stories, but in some ways, what I love most is using those narratives as a way of stringing together the interesting stories that people have kind of forgotten and that are kind of surprising.
Quote examples
G. Willow Wilson
American Writer
In prose, you have a lot more room for digression, for very meaty kinds of dialogues. In graphic novels, you're writing haiku-length dialogue. Your job is to be efficient, to get out of the way of the art.
Quote examples
Daniel Woodrell
American Writer
I tell the story by feel most of the time, and I am not much given to labyrinthian digressions but seem to be naturally drawn to compression and pace, and the feelings come about on their own.
Quote examples
P. J. O'Rourke
American Comedian
Excessive speed and quantity are, like chattiness and digression, besetting sins of cyber-assisted authorship.
Quote examples
Varun Tej
Indian Actor
Fidaa' completely sticks to being a love story. It doesn't have any digressions. Opposites attract, they say.
Quote examples
Mike Birbiglia
American Comedian
Sometimes people say, 'You're the best at digressions.' And that's actually a real compliment to me.
Quote examples
Robert Burns
Scottish Poet
And there begins a lang digression about the lords o' the creation.
Quote examples
William Vickrey
Canadian Educator
This paper was one of my digressions into abstract economics.
Example 1 of 10
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