indirectly

American  

[in-duh-rekt-lee, -dahy-] / ˌɪn dəˈrɛkt li, -daɪ- /

adverb

1. in a roundabout way; not by the shortest or straightest path.

   Since I had time to spare I took a bus that went a bit indirectly to my destination, and saw places on the way that I never knew existed.

2. by a connection that is not immediate.

   We all pay into the federal tax system indirectly when we purchase goods from companies that pay taxes.

3. in a way that is veiled or not straightforward; obliquely.

   I use poetic language to speak indirectly about those things that seem to slip from our grasp as soon as we name them.

4. deviously or covertly.

   The ad comes from a group indirectly funded by the cult and calling itself by another name.

5. Grammar. as indirect discourse; not as an actual quotation.

   If I’m reporting the person’s speech indirectly, I’d speak about them in the third person—using “she,” “he,” or “they.”

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Other Word Forms

• semi-indirectly adverb

Etymology

Origin of indirectly

indirect ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

According to the World Bank, one in five people in Ivory Coast indirectly relies on cocoa to make a living.

From Barron's

The fates of farmers, investment managers, banks and governments are indirectly tethered to the quality of the assets held as margin by brokerage and clearing firms.

From Barron's

DeepSeek said its base model might have acquired knowledge from other powerful models indirectly by drawing on such webpages.

From The Wall Street Journal

Because these conditions are also tied to dementia, researchers have questioned whether polluted air raises Alzheimer's risk indirectly by contributing to those illnesses, or whether it harms the brain more directly.

From Science Daily

Probably more important for the entire economy are other interest rates that the Fed does not control directly, and may only influence indirectly.

From MarketWatch