indicate

verb

in·​di·​cate ˈin-də-ˌkāt How to pronounce indicate (audio)
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

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 Radar signals in the counties indicated that debris was being lofted as high as 15,000 feet – a sign of a strong tornado, according to the weather service in Wilmington, Ohio. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 Studies done as recently as 2023 indicate that 79% of women take their partner's names after getting married. Megan Angelo, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024 Cohen also indicated Glazer did not alert him to, or consult beforehand on the content of his acceptance speech before the Academy Awards triumph. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 Hines' lawyer had previously indicated in a court filing that Hines intended to waive his right to attend the arraignment. Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024 Sky News later announced an investigation of the metadata that indicated the original image was saved twice in Adobe Photoshop. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 The dual crown indicates Ramses’ simultaneous authority over the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt, while the cobra represents royalty, writes the National’s Kamal Tabikha. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 Some symptoms of PFDs can be very common in the first few months after giving birth and do not necessarily indicate a long-term problem. Kristina Behr, Parents, 13 Mar. 2024 His car’s battery health gauge indicates five out of 12 bars of health, and his vsNEW report corroborates that by showing his battery’s state of health at 35 percent. Logan Carter / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indicate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of indicate was in 1541

Dictionary Entries Near indicate

Cite this Entry

“Indicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indicate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

indicate

verb
in·​di·​cate ˈin-də-ˌkāt How to pronounce indicate (audio)
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 How to pronounce indicate (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on indicate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!