indication

American  

[in-di-kay-shuhn] / ˌɪn dɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

• indications
  plural

1. anything serving to indicate or point out, as a sign or token.

   Synonyms:

   portent, intimation, hint

2. Medicine/Medical. a special symptom or the like that points out a suitable remedy or treatment or shows the presence of a disease.

3. an act of indicating.

4. the degree marked by an instrument.

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indication British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. something that serves to indicate or suggest; sign

   an indication of foul play

2. the degree or quantity represented on a measuring instrument or device

3. the action of indicating

4. something that is indicated as advisable, necessary, or expedient

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reindication
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• indications
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of indication

First recorded in 1535–45, indication is from the Latin word indicātiōn- (stem of indicātiō ). See indicate, -ion

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

indication indications

Nevertheless, the findings offer an encouraging indication that relatively modest changes in food choices may benefit blood vessel health, even without weight loss or a major dietary overhaul.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

That’s an indication of how Palantir’s AI software is catching on, particularly with businesses.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026

Marine Corps recently said that it has expanded access to Maven across its units, another indication of how deeply embedded Palantir has become in the military.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Polls opened at 7:00 am and will close at 8:00 pm, with exit polls shortly after that expected to give an indication of the winner.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

Father stared at the trees, giving no indication he’d heard his poor frightened wife, or any of this news.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Sales of Keytruda gained 6%, to $8.6 billion, due to uptake in earlier-stage indications such as triple-negative breast cancer and cervical cancer, the company said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

There were indications that Israeli Arabs, who make up around one-fifth of the total population and about 17% of eligible voters, were voting in historically large numbers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

When the researchers applied their improved model weighting to projections of precipitation, they found indications that current climate models may also underestimate future snowfall in southeastern Greenland and rainfall across the Mediterranean region.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

"Since then, there are indications that smoke from fires in Kalimantan on lands held via concessions under three additional companies in Indonesia could have moved to Singapore," the NEA said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

There had been many indications that things were getting out of hand, but the one that confirmed it was the opening of a new business east of the airport.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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Related Words

• explanation
• expression
• gesture
• hint
• implication
• inkling
• manifestation
• omen
• proof
• reminder
• sign
• signal
• suggestion
• symptom
• trace
• warning

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