indirect
Americanadjective
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not in a direct course or path; deviating from a straight line; roundabout.
an indirect course in sailing.
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coming or resulting otherwise than directly or immediately, as effects or consequences.
an indirect advantage.
- Synonyms:
- secondary, unintentional, incidental
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not direct in action or procedure.
His methods are indirect but not dishonest.
-
not straightforward; devious; deceitful.
He is known as a shady, indirect fellow.
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not direct in bearing, application, force, etc..
indirect evidence.
-
Grammar. of, relating to, or characteristic of indirect discourse.
an indirect quote.
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not descending in a direct line of succession, as a title or inheritance.
adjective
-
deviating from a direct course or line; roundabout; circuitous
-
not coming as a direct effect or consequence; secondary
indirect benefits
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not straightforward, open, or fair; devious or evasive
an indirect insult
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(of a title or an inheritance) not inherited in an unbroken line of succession from father to son
Other Word Forms
- indirectly adverb
- indirectness noun
- semi-indirect adjective
- semi-indirectness noun
Etymology
Origin of indirect
First recorded in 1350–1400; a Middle English word from the Medieval Latin word indīrēctus; in- 3, direct
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.
Last Tuesday, US and Iranian officials held indirect talks in Switzerland aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme, saying progress had been made.
From BBC
The NGOs also accuse TotalEnergies of not including within its vigilance requirements the "indirect emissions" produced by its end customers burning its products, which amount to 342 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
From Barron's
"Over time, considering the life expectancy in Brazil of around 75 years, there may be a carcinogenic risk since there's a possibility of direct and indirect DNA damage," says Cherubin.
From Science Daily
A spokesperson emphasized that Epstein died in mid-2019, before Apollo Global Management acquired Shutterfly — and Lifetouch with it — later that year, eliminating any direct or indirect link between the company and the disgraced financier.
From Salon
Until now, researchers have relied on indirect clues to suggest that early humans used poison in hunting.
From Science Daily
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.
