indication
Americannoun
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indications
plural
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anything serving to indicate or point out, as a sign or token.
- Synonyms:
- portent, intimation, hint
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Medicine/Medical. a special symptom or the like that points out a suitable remedy or treatment or shows the presence of a disease.
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an act of indicating.
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the degree marked by an instrument.
noun
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something that serves to indicate or suggest; sign
an indication of foul play
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the degree or quantity represented on a measuring instrument or device
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the action of indicating
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something that is indicated as advisable, necessary, or expedient
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of indication
First recorded in 1535–45, indication is from the Latin word indicātiōn- (stem of indicātiō ). See indicate, -ion
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.
Vocabulary lists containing indication
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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.
See Examples For:
"It was an indication of a rise of an industry," Hsu added.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
“At this time, there is no indication of criminal activity,” park officials wrote in an email response to The Times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
The chain’s CFO said at the time that this sort of behavior was “an indication of stress.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
Nor did the administration offer any indication of how the tariffs were calculated and when, if ever, they would be removed.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
This gives an accurate indication of Hooke’s intellectual standing at the time, as well as an idea of his unprepossessing appearance.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
“But we see relatively little biologic read-through to other indications given melanoma, as the most immune-sensitive and highest-TMB tumor, is uniquely suited for a vaccine.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
But there are indications that interest in technical education is on the rise.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
But she added there "are some indications that Nigel Farage is worried that he will not win as comprehensively as he wants to".
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
“I’m not seeing many indications that we’re there.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
A tremor shaking the ground and ripples wrinkling the surface of the ponds were the only indications that some great force was passing through.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
