indentation

American  

[in-den-tey-shuhn] / ˌɪn dɛnˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a cut, notch, or deep recess.

   various bays and indentations.

2. a series of incisions or notches.

   the indentation of a maple leaf.

3. a notching or being notched.

4. indention.

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indentation British  

/ ˌɪndɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. a hollowed, notched, or cut place, as on an edge or on a coastline

2. a series of hollows, notches, or cuts

3. the act of indenting or the condition of being indented

4. Also called: indention.   indent.  the leaving of space or the amount of space left between a margin and the start of an indented line

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indentation Cultural  

1. A space left between the left-hand margin of a line of type or handwriting and the beginning of a sentence or quotation. The beginning of a paragraph is usually indented.

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Etymology

Origin of indentation

First recorded in 1715–25; indent ¹ + -ation

Explanation

An indentation is a notch, cut, or dent in something. If you take a hammer to a piece of metal, you will make a series of indentations. The dent in indentation shares a root with your dentist, and an indentation is basically like a tooth mark. Except some "teeth" are larger than others — a meteorite leaves a huge indentation in the ground, just as a sharp pencil could make a tiny indentation in your finger. You can talk about conceptual indentation, too. Loving the novel Anna Karenina might make an indentation in your general aversion to reading. It’s that’s good.

Example Sentences

Rachel, who does not want the BBC to use her surname, said an indentation in her abdomen had been picked up during a regular colonoscopy for another condition.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

When the cell's receptors detect that the virus has attached, the membrane begins forming a small indentation at that spot.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2025

He finishes with special tools that carve out the metal and leave an indentation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025

For air-fried burgers, flatten your patties as much as possible and press an indentation in the center to prevent them from puffing up.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2025

He’d been squeezing the key so hard he could feel every indentation.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste