a long route

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a long route" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a journey or path that takes a considerable amount of time or distance to complete. Example: "We decided to take a long route to enjoy the scenic views along the way."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

Poyet has taken a long route here.

The Guardian - Sport

But "Night" had taken a long route to the best-seller list.

The New York Times - Books

The reprisal for this took a long route, but ended with Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The Guardian

And so the Saldivars took a long route around the city, hoping to avoid the worst of it.

The Washington Post

An international congress in Paris in 1879 considered a long route across Nicaragua and a shorter Panama route.

The Guardian

Because he took such a long route, with two years of junior hockey, Gilroy will turn 25 in September.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

For the multi-hop ad hoc networks (MANETs), Kopparty et al. [22] divided an original long route into a sequence of short TCP connections by locating TCP proxies every three nodes along the original route to improve the throughput of end-to-end TCP connection.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

We're already taking a pretty long route as it is, we are just skirting around San Antonio - it would take an extra few hours we just don't have.

The Guardian

They weren't public roads, but they did have intersections, other vehicles, pedestrian traffic, cyclists and more, and the car managed a fairly long route without any human intervention – and without any cause for concern on my part.

TechCrunch

Will his next play, "Chamber Piece," in which a man visits a dominatrix on a whim only to discover that they are high school acquaintances, have an equally long route to the stage?

The New York Times

A 20 km long route composed by intersections in rural and urban environment was selected to collect both driving and eye movement data.

Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a long route" to emphasize the distance or time involved in reaching a destination, whether physical or metaphorical. For instance, you might say, "The package took a long route due to unexpected delays".

Common error

Avoid using "a long route" when a shorter, more direct alternative would suffice. For instance, instead of saying, "He took a long route to the store", consider "He walked a longer way to the store" if the specific length or difficulty isn't the primary focus.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a long route" functions as a noun phrase, often serving as an adverbial modifier indicating the manner in which something is done or the path taken. As Ludwig AI indicates, this is a grammatically correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

29%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a long route" is a versatile and commonly used expression to describe journeys, processes, or methods that involve significant distance, time, or complexity. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and widely applicable across various contexts. While it appears most frequently in News & Media and Scientific writing, its neutral register makes it suitable for both formal and informal communication. When using "a long route", consider whether a shorter, more direct alternative might be more appropriate for clarity and conciseness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a lengthy course

Emphasizes the duration and extent of the path or journey.

an extended path

Highlights the increased distance or scope of the route.

a circuitous route

Indicates a winding or indirect path, often longer than necessary.

a roundabout way

Implies a less direct and possibly inefficient method or path.

a protracted journey

Focuses on the extended duration of the trip.

a devious route

Suggests a cunning or deceitful path, often to avoid detection.

a meandering path

Describes a route that wanders and curves without a clear direction.

a drawn-out process

Shifts the focus to a lengthy procedure or sequence of steps.

an indirect approach

Highlights the lack of a straightforward method.

a complicated procedure

Emphasizes the complex nature of the steps involved.

FAQs

How can I use "a long route" in a sentence?

You can use "a long route" to describe a journey or process that takes more time or covers more distance than expected. For example, "The shipment followed "a long route" due to customs inspections".

What are some alternatives to using "a long route"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "a long route" include "a lengthy course", "an extended path", or "a circuitous route".

Is it better to say "a long route" or "a lengthy route"?

Both "a long route" and "a lengthy route" are grammatically correct, but "a long route" is generally more common. "Lengthy" may emphasize the duration more strongly, while "long" simply indicates distance or time.

What does it mean to take "a long route" metaphorically?

Metaphorically, taking "a long route" can mean approaching a task or goal in an indirect or complicated way. For example, "He took "a roundabout way" to explain his mistake, rather than apologizing directly".