indirectly
Americanadverb
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in a roundabout way; not by the shortest or straightest path.
Since I had time to spare I took a bus that went a bit indirectly to my destination, and saw places on the way that I never knew existed.
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by a connection that is not immediate.
We all pay into the federal tax system indirectly when we purchase goods from companies that pay taxes.
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in a way that is veiled or not straightforward; obliquely.
I use poetic language to speak indirectly about those things that seem to slip from our grasp as soon as we name them.
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deviously or covertly.
The ad comes from a group indirectly funded by the cult and calling itself by another name.
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Grammar. as indirect discourse; not as an actual quotation.
If I’m reporting the person’s speech indirectly, I’d speak about them in the third person—using “she,” “he,” or “they.”
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of indirectly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What if you could buy some of those shares indirectly before the IPO?
From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026
Many of Calingasta's 11,000 residents depend directly or indirectly on mining for a livelihood.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
Most intergalactic gas has only been observed indirectly by measuring how it absorbs light from bright objects behind it.
From Science Daily • May 16, 2026
The earlier ruling found that Grover had indirectly discriminated against Tickle.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Instead, Jason was indirectly the cause of his death.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
