indirect

[in-duh-rekt, -dahy-]

adjective

1. not in a direct course or path; deviating from a straight line; roundabout.

   an indirect course in sailing.

2. coming or resulting otherwise than directly or immediately, as effects or consequences.

   an indirect advantage.

   Synonyms: secondary, unintentional, incidental

3. not direct in action or procedure.

   His methods are indirect but not dishonest.

4. not straightforward; devious; deceitful.

   He is known as a shady, indirect fellow.

5. not direct in bearing, application, force, etc..

   indirect evidence.

6. Grammar.,  of, relating to, or characteristic of indirect discourse.

   an indirect quote.

7. not descending in a direct line of succession, as a title or inheritance.

indirect

/ ˌɪndɪˈrɛkt /

adjective

1. deviating from a direct course or line; roundabout; circuitous

2. not coming as a direct effect or consequence; secondary

   indirect benefits

3. not straightforward, open, or fair; devious or evasive

   an indirect insult

4. (of a title or an inheritance) not inherited in an unbroken line of succession from father to son

Other Word Forms

• indirectness noun
• indirectly adverb
• semi-indirect adjective
• semi-indirectness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of indirect¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; a Middle English word from the Medieval Latin word indīrēctus; in- ³, direct

Example Sentences

Qatar hosts a major US airbase and has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza, serving as a mediator of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.

From BBC

The proposal says that the campus will also be prohibited from using “indirect methods or criteria that serve as a substitute for race-conscious hiring, promotion, tenure, compensation, and other employment practices.”

From Los Angeles Times

Qatar has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the war, serving as a mediator of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.

From BBC

The Gulf state hosts a major US airbase and has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza, serving as a mediator of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.

From BBC

Qatar has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the Israel-Gaza war, serving as a mediator of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.

From BBC

Related Words

• ambiguous 
• ancillary 
• circuitous 
• implied 
• incidental 
• oblique 
• tortuous