indication

American  

[in-di-kay-shuhn] / ˌɪn dɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• indications
  plural

1. anything serving to indicate or point out, as a sign or token.

   Synonyms:

   portent, intimation, hint

2. Medicine/Medical. a special symptom or the like that points out a suitable remedy or treatment or shows the presence of a disease.

3. an act of indicating.

4. the degree marked by an instrument.

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indication British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. something that serves to indicate or suggest; sign

   an indication of foul play

2. the degree or quantity represented on a measuring instrument or device

3. the action of indicating

4. something that is indicated as advisable, necessary, or expedient

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reindication
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• indications
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of indication

First recorded in 1535–45, indication is from the Latin word indicātiōn- (stem of indicātiō ). See indicate, -ion

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Explanation

An indication is a sign––it indicates, or suggests, some conclusion. The way you blush furiously when a certain someone talks to you is an indication that you have a crush on them. An indication is like a clue, or a suggestion, but it's not proof. If someone is weaving all over the place when they walk, that could be an indication that they’re drunk. But then again, it could indicate an inner-ear infection that has ruined their balance. The verb, indicate, literally means to point out, by using your index finger. But indications don’t require actual fingers pointing to a cause.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

indication indications

If history is any indication, cats will continue to land on their feet for many years to come.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Building permits provide an early indication of construction activity in Canada and are based on a survey of 2,400 municipalities, representing 95% of the country’s population.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

However, Mason Crane and Liam Patterson-White are given developmental deals as an indication of how England could grow their Test spin-bowling options.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

A further indication of the format's growing popularity saw the release of Christopher Nolan's film caused daily listening hours for The Odyssey to surge in France by 752 percent.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

The first challenge required a strong arm, he’d been told, though if the pain in his shoulder was any indication, his arm hadn’t exactly been up to it.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

The September retail sales report adds to recent indications that U.S. economic growth remains resilient, potentially supporting the argument that the Federal Reserve has room to keep interest rates elevated to fight inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

"At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data," OpenAI told AFP in a statement.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Christopher, 73, of Portland, Dorset, said: "One came back with indications of blood in my stool. I went through further tests, and it was at the colonoscopy that they identified a cancer in my bowel."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

“Information circulating that the student’s death was heat-related is incorrect, and there are no indications of any suspicious activity related to the student’s passing.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

“Everywhere I have found indications that people are planning to go to it.”

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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Related Words

• explanation
• expression
• gesture
• hint
• implication
• inkling
• manifestation
• omen
• proof
• reminder
• sign
• signal
• suggestion
• symptom
• trace
• warning

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