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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Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 51-60
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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:
The government has also introduced "geographical indication" tags that help distinguish genuine Kashmiri carpets from cheap imitations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
Lowell continued: “Governor Cook gave no indication that she was leaving to take any new job in Atlanta.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
The earnings will likely “be another indication that AI is alive and well,” said Joyce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
"It was an indication of a rise of an industry," Hsu added.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
The justices gave little indication of which way they were leaning, though Justice Thurgood Marshall offered a clue in an exchange with Solicitor General Erwin Griswold, who was handling the government’s case.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Investors will also be looking forward to Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s keynote address from the Jackson Hole, Wyo., economic-policy symposium on Friday, hoping to parse indications of the Fed’s strategy on interest rates.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 23, 2026
Pilots received indications of high vibrations in one of the jet’s two engines, followed by a loud bang, according to the report.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 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
Early indications were that I didn’t handle it so well.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
