indicate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to be a sign of; betoken; evidence; show.
His hesitation really indicates his doubt about the venture.
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to point out or point to; direct attention to.
to indicate a place on a map.
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to show, as by measuring or recording; make known.
The thermometer indicates air temperature.
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to state or express, especially briefly or in a general way; signal.
He indicated his disapproval but did not go into detail.
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Medicine/Medical.
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(of symptoms) to point out (a particular remedy, treatment, etc.) as suitable or necessary.
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to show the presence of (a condition, infection, etc.).
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verb
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(may take a clause as object) to be or give a sign or symptom of; imply
cold hands indicate a warm heart
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to point out or show
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(may take a clause as object) to state briefly; suggest
he indicated what his feelings were
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(of instruments) to show a reading of
the speedometer indicated 50 miles per hour
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(usually passive) to recommend or require
surgery seems to be indicated for this patient
Other Word Forms
- indicatable adjective
- indicatory adjective
- interindicate verb (used with object)
- reindicate verb (used with object)
- unindicated adjective
- well-indicated adjective
Etymology
Origin of indicate
First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin indicātus, past participle of indicāre “to point, make known,” equivalent to indic- (stem of index ) “pointer, marker, informer” + -ātus past participle suffix; index, -ate 1
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.
“All key customers indicate continued willingness to stand up additional AI server clusters,” Rakesh wrote.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Newspaper accounts and police records indicate that they met several months earlier, around January 1991.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Reports indicate that video of the moment was removed from official channels, raising additional questions about how the message was received internally.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
UBS analyst Michael Lasser said RH’s results and outlook indicate that RH’s core customer has not only been “distracted” by, but could also be “more sensitive” to, geopolitical developments.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
The hands glide to indicate the proper time, the planetary alignments set themselves in order.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
