# fly off at a tangent

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fly-off-at-a-tangent
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To digress from a topic.

## Examples

- Please stay on topic and do not fly off at a tangent.
- The professor often flies off at a tangent during his lectures, leaving the students confused about the main lesson.
- During the heated board meeting, the director repeatedly flew off at a tangent, effectively stalling any progress on the critical budget proposal.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.