as in roundabout
not straightforward or direct
the cab driver took a very indirect route to the hotel a long-winded, indirect answer to a very simple question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indirect
Give your Swiss cheese vine plenty of bright, indirect light.
—
Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
They can be wrapped with foil and reheated on the grill over indirect heat until hot throughout, or placed in a baking dish with broth or other preferred liquid, covered tightly with foil, and baked in a preheated 300°F oven until heated through.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Vitamin D directly supports immune health; vitamin E’s immune benefits are indirect and limited.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 4 Jan. 2026
The new law effectively codifies that change, requiring Hegseth to prohibit individuals from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from having direct or indirect access to Defense Department cloud computing systems.
—Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indirect
Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
They can be wrapped with foil and reheated on the grill over indirect heat until hot throughout, or placed in a baking dish with broth or other preferred liquid, covered tightly with foil, and baked in a preheated 300°F oven until heated through.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Vitamin D directly supports immune health; vitamin E’s immune benefits are indirect and limited.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 4 Jan. 2026
The new law effectively codifies that change, requiring Hegseth to prohibit individuals from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from having direct or indirect access to Defense Department cloud computing systems.
—Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indirect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indirect
Adjective
-
Wide-open windows Space loitering, kidney bean paths, gravity assists, hyperbolic orbits and wide-open windows — enter the world of Jeffrey Parker, Chief Technology Officer at Advanced Space in Westminster, Colorado, the chief architect behind the ESCAPADE mission's roundabout road trip to Mars.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Now, the family is calling on the village to install traffic-calming measures such as speed bumps or a roundabout.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Long periods of cold, wet weather also allow snow mold to take hold, resulting in circular patches of dead or dying, discolored grass.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Set your iron to warm, and then iron over the salt in circular motions until clean.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Indirect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indirect. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
