indicate

verb in·di·cate \ ˈin-də-ˌkāt \

Definition of indicate

indicated; indicating

transitive verb

1 a :to point out or point to

b :to be a sign, symptom, or index of

the high fever indicates a serious condition

c :to demonstrate or suggest the necessity or advisability of

indicated the need for a new school

the indicated treatment

2 :to state or express briefly

indicated a desire to cooperate

See indicate defined for English-language learners

See indicate defined for kids

Examples of indicate in a Sentence

Our records indicate a depth of 3,000 feet here.
The map indicates where the treasure is buried.
There is nothing to indicate that the two events are connected.
The size of his offer indicates that he is eager to buy the house.
The general used a long ruler to indicate on the map exactly where the troops would land.
We asked how to get to the rear entrance, and he indicated a path leading around the right side of the building.

Recent Examples of indicate from the Web

Since the amount of time and effort required for certification is substantial, certification does indicate a groomer is serious about his or her profession and possesses at least the basic skills for the job.

— kevin brasler, The Seattle Times, "Tips on finding a good dog groomer in the Puget Sound area," 30 Aug. 2017
Yet the president indicated otherwise on Sunday, in a tweet suggesting partisan politics was part of his calculation for choosing Missouri to deliver his speech.

— jim puzzanghera, chicagotribune.com, "Trump to kick off tax-cut push with speech devoid of details, White House says," 30 Aug. 2017
Some investors and analysts say that the extreme positioning indicates that dollar bearishness has gone too far.

— katherine greifeld, Bloomberg.com, "The Most Lucrative Currency Strategy Is Nearly Fed Proof," 29 Aug. 2017
Our DUI arrests rate of 2.23 actually is the sixth lowest in the nation, which indicates we’re either responsible or getting away with it.

— david j. neal, miamiherald, "Why is Florida home to the worst drivers? Where do we start?," 29 Aug. 2017
A team source indicated his absence is strictly to eliminate risk with all focus on the opener against Baltimore on Sept. 10.

— paul dehner jr., Cincinnati.com, "Bengals at Washington: Ross, Bernard in; Eifert out," 27 Aug. 2017
But the departure of numerous executives—including former CEO Travis Kalanick—and the introduction of tech dynamo Bozoma Saint John as the new chief brand office indicated the company was eager to make a change.

— maggie mallon, Glamour, "Uber Is Donating $1.2 Million to Girls Who Code," 24 Aug. 2017
However, when subsequent reports indicated that Rock and Chappelle were making $20 million apiece for their own Netflix specials, Schumer went back into the negotiation room to net a higher fee—though the exact final number has not been reported.

— yohana desta, HWD, "Amy Schumer Doesn’t Think She Deserves the Same Salary as Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock," 24 Aug. 2017
The history of the statue in my hometown, unveiled on May 14, 1917, indicates such myth-making was already prevalent when it was dedicated a century ago.

— vann r. newkirk ii, The Atlantic, "Growing Up in the Shadow of the Confederacy," 22 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indicate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of indicate

Latin indicatus, past participle of indicare, from in- + dicare to proclaim, dedicate — more at diction

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First Known Use: 1541

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indicate Synonyms

Synonyms

bespeak, betoken, denote, mean, point (to), signify, tell (of)

Related Words

bode, foreshow, foretell, presage

Near Antonyms

announce, declare, proclaim; elucidate, explain, spell out; delineate, describe

INDICATE Defined for English Language Learners

indicate

verb

Definition of indicate for English Language Learners

: to show (something) : to show that (something) exists or is true
: to direct attention to (someone or something) usually by pointing
: to show or suggest that (something) is needed

INDICATE Defined for Kids

indicate

verb in·di·cate \ ˈin-də-ˌkāt \

Definition of indicate for Students

indicated; indicating

1 :to point out or point to Indicate your neighborhood on the map.

2 :to state or express briefly

He stepped back … and by so doing indicated that he had finished.
—Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet The Spy

Medical Dictionary

indicate

transitive verb in·di·cate \ ˈin-də-ˌkāt \

medical Definition of indicate

indicated; indicating

1 :to be a fairly certain symptom of :show the presence or existence of

the high fever indicates a serious condition

2 :to call for especially as treatment for a particular condition

radical surgery is often indicated in advanced cancer

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See words that rhyme with indicate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for indicate Spanish Central: Translation of indicate Nglish: Translation of indicate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of indicate for Arabic speakers

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Examples of indicate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of indicate from the Web

Origin and Etymology of indicate

indicate Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

INDICATE Defined for English Language Learners

indicate

Definition of indicate for English Language Learners

INDICATE Defined for Kids

indicate

Definition of indicate for Students

Medical Dictionary

indicate

medical Definition of indicate

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