indicative
Americanadjective
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showing, signifying, or pointing out; expressive or suggestive (usually followed byof ).
behavior indicative of mental disorder.
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Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used for ordinary objective statements, questions, etc., as the verb plays in John plays football.
noun
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the indicative mood.
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a verb in the indicative.
adjective
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serving as a sign; suggestive
indicative of trouble ahead
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grammar denoting a mood of verbs used chiefly to make statements Compare subjunctive
noun
Other Word Forms
- indicatively adverb
- unindicative adjective
- unindicatively adverb
Etymology
Origin of indicative
From the Late Latin word indicātīvus, dating back to 1520–30. See indicate, -ive
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.
Details on each clinic's capacity, and whether the Scottish government will meet that commitment, will be revealed as the exact locations are confirmed - but the BBC has some indicative data.
From BBC
"It was a probable explosion. Based on comparisons between historic explosions and earthquakes, the seismic signals were indicative of a single fire explosion, not typical of mining explosions," he said.
From Barron's
The layoffs are indicative of the U.S. wine industry’s broader struggles amid shifting tastes.
From Los Angeles Times
They have said that unless the employers act within 14 days, "we will proceed to an indicative ballot for industrial action on Wednesday 4 March 2026".
From BBC
“This chart is indicative of what’s going to happen when the shift finally comes,” Change Global’s Jamison said.
From MarketWatch
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.
