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View synonyms for indirectly

indirectly

[in-duh-rekt-lee, -dahy-]

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
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Word History and Origins

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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.

He noted that he had “indirectly participated in the destruction of…Iraq and Afghanistan.”

From Salon

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was obvious Germany had long been "indirectly involved" in the war in Ukraine and he rejected "unfounded accusations" of Russian involvement in last week's disruption in Denmark.

From BBC

In the NFL, rub routes are plays in which an attacking player makes a movement that indirectly blocks the path of another player.

From BBC

Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form.

From BBC

Hamas, the plan states, would have no role in governance, "directly, indirectly, or in any form".

From BBC

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