indicative
Americanadjective
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showing, signifying, or pointing out; expressive or suggestive (usually followed byof ).
behavior indicative of mental disorder.
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Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used for ordinary objective statements, questions, etc., as the verb plays in John plays football.
noun
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the indicative mood.
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a verb in the indicative.
adjective
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serving as a sign; suggestive
indicative of trouble ahead
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grammar denoting a mood of verbs used chiefly to make statements Compare subjunctive
noun
Other Word Forms
- indicatively adverb
- unindicative adjective
- unindicatively adverb
Etymology
Origin of indicative
From the Late Latin word indicātīvus, dating back to 1520–30. See indicate, -ive
Explanation
Use the word indicative when you want to show that something is suggestive or serves as a sign of something. Your willingness to help out with the charity is indicative of your generous nature. The adjective indicative is usually followed by the word of. After being caught in the storm, you protested that the current condition of your hair and clothes were in no way indicative of your normal grooming habits. Instead, you argue, your appearance is indicative of your work ethic, since you braved wind, rain, and sleet to get to work that day. Did you know that some experts say the rise in skirt hemlines is indicative of economic recovery?
Vocabulary lists containing indicative
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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.
“While we acknowledge that Anthropic could still be engineering its own cyber products in lower-barrier areas, we see the urgency of the partnership as indicative of core cyber’s relative insulation from AI disintermediation,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
One of them is a title so generic, so blandly inoffensive yet simultaneously indicative of hope, resolve, or insider knowledge as to be, ultimately, unmemorable.
From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026
Though fluent in academic lingo, his verse was approachable, written with students and the public in mind and indicative of someone who always made sure to not stay stuck in the proverbial ivory tower.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
England fly-half Fin Smith says he and captain Maro Itoje have been joking about their on-field argument in defeat away to Italy last weekend, and insists it is indicative of the strength of their relationship.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
Some of the examples are a bit formal and can be replaced by the indicative, such as It’s essential that he sees a draft and whether it is good or bad.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
