1
: runaround
gave me the go-around
2
a
: round
reached an agreement during the first go-around
b
: a heated argument or struggle
had a real go-around with her about it
3
: an act or instance of going around (as in an air traffic pattern)

go around

2 of 2

verb

went around; gone around; going around; goes around

intransitive verb

1
a
: to pass from place to place : go here and there
b
: to pass from one person to another : circulate
There's a rumor/story/virus going around.
2
: to satisfy demand : fill the need
not enough jobs to go around
3
: to dress or act in a specified way
You can't go around treating people like that.
4
: to be long enough to reach all the way around (something)
This belt doesn't go around my waist.

Examples of go-around in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For the show’s second go-around, Jones said Alba and Mathis were looking for partners that were more collaborative and able to executive the best possible idea. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Aug. 2026 During this go-around, however, the aircraft reportedly got too close to Delta flight 2472, which had just taken off from a parallel runway, per CNN. Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Verb
There are viral clips going around of people’s experiences viewing The Odyssey in 4DX. Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026 Henry County Coroner Brian Clark said the man, James Briar, appears to have gone around a barricade and fallen into the collapsed road. ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for go-around

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Verb

circa 1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of go-around was circa 1520

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Go-around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go-around. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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