indirect
Americanadjective
-
not in a direct course or path; deviating from a straight line; roundabout.
an indirect course in sailing.
-
coming or resulting otherwise than directly or immediately, as effects or consequences.
an indirect advantage.
- Synonyms:
- secondary, unintentional, incidental
-
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.
-
not direct in bearing, application, force, etc..
indirect evidence.
-
Grammar. of, relating to, or characteristic of indirect discourse.
an indirect quote.
-
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
-
not straightforward, open, or fair; devious or evasive
an indirect insult
-
(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.
Though direct holdings in the asset class are typically small for European banks, indirect exposure via private credit providers mean that risks could be bigger than initial appearances, Schramm-Fuchs said.
The industry at Morbi provides direct and indirect employment to nearly a million people, according to government statistics.
From Barron's
However, those conclusions were based on instruments located far from the fault zone, meaning the observations were indirect.
From Science Daily
Pakistan said the U.S. and Iran were engaged in indirect talks through messages it was relaying, and that Tehran was considering Washington’s proposals.
ABP expects the project to support thousands of direct and indirect jobs once construction begins, with the company estimating it could unlock more than £500m in associated investment.
From BBC
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.
