indirect evidence
noun
: evidence that establishes immediately collateral facts from which the main fact may be inferred : circumstantial evidence
Examples of indirect evidence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Clustering has often been referenced as indirect evidence for the existence of a hypothetical ninth planet in the outer solar system (called Planet Nine or Planet X).
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Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2025
But indirect evidence has accumulated over time that many variants do develop this way.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2025
Unlike studying living sharks, paleontology relies on indirect evidence.
—Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
There has been little direct evidence of such garments, but bone needles and the bones of the fur-bearing animals used to make pelts provide some indirect evidence of this early tailoring.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for indirect evidence
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Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2025
But indirect evidence has accumulated over time that many variants do develop this way.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2025
Unlike studying living sharks, paleontology relies on indirect evidence.
—Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
There has been little direct evidence of such garments, but bone needles and the bones of the fur-bearing animals used to make pelts provide some indirect evidence of this early tailoring.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for indirect evidence
Cite this Entry
“Indirect evidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indirect%20evidence. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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