- (may take a clause as object) to be or give a sign or symptom of; imply: cold hands indicate a warm heart
- to point out or show
- (may take a clause as object) to state briefly; suggest
- (of instruments) to show a reading of
- (usually passive) to recommend or require: surgery seems to be indicated for this patient
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•di•cate /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/USA pronunciation
v., -cat•ed, -cat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to be a sign of;
show: [~ + object]Snow indicates winter.[~ + (that) clause]The patient's pale skin indicates that he may have anemia. - to point out or point to: [~ + object]to indicate a place on a map.[~ + (that) clause]used his finger to indicate that the pain was in his chest.
- to express: [~ + object]indicated his disapproval.[~ + (that) clause]I indicated that I would go on with my talk.
in•di•cate
(in′di kāt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -cat•ed, -cat•ing.
in•di•cat′a•ble, adj.
in•dic•a•to•ry
(in dik′ə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē),USA pronunciation adj.
- to be a sign of; betoken;
evidence;
show:His hesitation really indicateshis doubt about the venture. - to point out or point to;
direct attention to:to indicate a place on a map. - to show, as by measuring or recording;
make known:The thermometer indicates air temperature. - to state or express, esp. briefly or in a general way;
signal:He indicated his disapproval but did not go into detail. - Medicine
- (of symptoms) to point out (a particular remedy, treatment, etc.) as suitable or necessary.
- to show the presence of (a condition, infection, etc.).
- Latin indicātus past participle of indicāre to point, make known equivalent. to indic- (stem of index) index + -ātus -ate1
- 1645–55
- 3. register, reveal, record.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
indicate /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/ vb (transitive)
'indicate' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
about
- accent
- acknowledge
- action
- active
- alpha-fetoprotein
- -ancy
- and
- A.N. Other
- apostrophe
- applaud
- article
- as
- asterisk
- at
- auxiliary verb
- baton
- be
- bear hug
- beat
- bespeak
- betoken
- betray
- bis
- blackball
- blaze
- body mass index
- breve
- buck
- bump
- by
- can
- caret
- Catseye
- cedilla
- check
- chemical equation
- chevron
- chime
- clasp
- classification
- clear
- correct
- could
- cross
- CRP
- dagger
- damned
- dash
- degree