Digression
mediumNeutral tonedy-GRESH-un
noun
Definition
a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing
Memory hook
diGRESSion: you 'step away' (gress = step) from the path, wandering off onto a side trail mid-story.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The lecture was buried under so many digressions that the thesis got lost.”
“After a lengthy digression about his childhood, he returned to the argument.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The lecture was buried under so many ______ that the thesis got lost.”
Show answer
digressions
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Digression is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "tangent" or "aside" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "focus".
Related GRE Words
preamble
an introductory statement; a preliminary preface
anomaly
Something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected
aberration
A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected
admonish
To warn or reprimand someone firmly
allude
To suggest or call attention to indirectly; to hint at
allusion
An indirect reference, especially to something in literature or history
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