indicate

verb

in·​di·​cate ˈin-də-ˌkāt 

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

Synonyms

• mean
• signify
• denote

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 on the Web

Trump on Monday indicated part of one of East Wing walls will come down to connect his ballroom to the residence. —Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025

While a watermark or credit to Sora in a video indicates that the clip isn't real and was made with OpenAI, not all AI videos are so easily identified. —Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025

Yellow or orange flames might indicate a problem with combustion or dirty burners. —Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025

Also at Everlane, Vukelich increased her responsibilities from human resources to encompass stores, customer experience, international markets, e-commerce and marketing, the statement indicated. —David Moin, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for indicate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

indicate

verb

in·​di·​cate ˈin-də-ˌkāt 

indicated; indicating

1

a

: to point out or point to

b

: to be a sign of

flowers indicating the arrival of spring

2

: to state or express briefly : suggest

Medical Definition

indicate

transitive verb

in·​di·​cate ˈin-də-ˌkāt 

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