Digress
To depart from the main subject in speaking or writing; to wander away from the topic.
verbDigress
To depart from the main subject in speaking or writing; to wander away from the topic.
verbImagine This
Imagine you're giving a science presentation. You start with the data, but then you tell a long, entertaining anecdote about your last vacation. The anecdote is interesting, but it makes you drift away from the main point and the audience loses track of the data you intended to explain.
Sounds Like
dih-GRESS
Looks Like
diGRESS resembles the word PROGRESS but with a prefix meaning away, hinting at moving away from the topic.
Remember This
Digress uses the root 'gress' (to go, to step) with a prefix suggesting away; the noun form is 'digression.'
Other Forms
Connect With
ramble, wander, deviate, drift, tangent, meander
Note
Use digress carefully in formal writing; if you must depart from the main topic, do so briefly and then return to the thesis. The common noun form is 'digression'. A common pitfall is confusing digress with 'disgress'—the correct form is 'digress'.