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

See Examples For:

indirectly

He is also forbidden from trying to contact Mountbatten-Windsor directly or indirectly, or approach him, or enter Norfolk.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Bardem admits he’s been asked, whether directly or indirectly, to tone down his vocal support.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

By Hunt’s own math, oil accounts for roughly 12% to 15% of CPI directly and indirectly.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

But they can still add funds indirectly through a backdoor Roth IRA conversion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

The toxin does the deed insidiously, indirectly, by inhibiting an enzyme essential to glycoprotein metabolism.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer