INDICATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does indicate mean? 

• INDICATE (verb)
  The verb INDICATE has 5 senses:

1. be a signal for or a symptom of

2. indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively

3. to state or express briefly

4. give evidence of

5. suggest the necessity of an intervention; in medicine

  Familiarity information: INDICATE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INDICATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they indicate    ... he / she / it indicates   
Past simple: indicated   
Past participle: indicated   
-ing form: indicating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be a signal for or a symptom of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

bespeak; betoken; indicate; point; signal

Context example:

The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued

Hypernyms (to "indicate" is one way to...):

tell (let something be known)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "indicate"):

augur; auspicate; betoken; bode; forecast; foreshadow; foretell; omen; portend; predict; prefigure; presage; prognosticate (indicate, as with a sign or an omen)

mark (designate as if by a mark)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

indicant; indication (something that serves to indicate or suggest)

indication ((medicine) a reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure)

indicative ((usually followed by 'of') pointing out or revealing clearly)

indicator (a signal for attracting attention)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

designate; indicate; point; show

Context example:

he indicated his opponents

Hypernyms (to "indicate" is one way to...):

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "indicate"):

point (indicate the presence of (game) by standing and pointing with the muzzle)

finger (indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments)

call attention; point out; signalise; signalize (point out carefully and clearly)

reflect (manifest or bring back)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

indication (the act of indicating or pointing out by name)

Sense 3

Meaning:

To state or express briefly

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

indicated his wishes in a letter

Hypernyms (to "indicate" is one way to...):

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "indicate"):

read; record; register; show (indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments)

signify (make known with a word or signal)

call (indicate a decision in regard to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Antonym:

contraindicate (make a treatment inadvisable)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Give evidence of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

argue; indicate

Context example:

The results indicate the need for more work

Hypernyms (to "indicate" is one way to...):

lay out; present; represent (bring forward and present to the mind)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

indicant (something that serves to indicate or suggest)

indication (a datum about some physical state that is presented to a user by a meter or similar instrument)

indication (something (as a course of action) that is indicated as expedient or necessary)

indication (something that serves to indicate or suggest)

indicative ((usually followed by 'of') pointing out or revealing clearly)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Suggest the necessity of an intervention; in medicine

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

Tetracycline is indicated in such cases

Hypernyms (to "indicate" is one way to...):

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Antonym:

contraindicate (make a treatment inadvisable)

Derivation:

indication (something (as a course of action) that is indicated as expedient or necessary)

indication ((medicine) a reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure)

indicative ((usually followed by 'of') pointing out or revealing clearly)

 Context examples 

It may be most obvious to you in the Greek e’s, but to me there are many small points which indicate the same thing.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Observations completed at the University of Hawaii indicate the comet nucleus is somewhere between 1.2 and 10 miles (2 and 16 kilometers) in diameter.

(Newly Discovered Comet Is Likely Interstellar Visitor, NASA)

Saturn will beautifully angle to the new moon, indicating the projects you start after this new moon occurs are likely to have long-range potential and possibilities.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

A response indicating that an individual has or had moderate pain or discomfort.

(Moderate Pain or Discomfort, NCI Thesaurus)

A laboratory test result which indicates abnormal levels of prolactin hormone in the blood.

(Abnormal Blood Prolactin, NCI Thesaurus)

There’s a deed of violence indicated in that fellow’s round shoulders and outstretched neck.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A response indicating that an individual feels about the same limitations as others.

(About The Same As Others, NCI Thesaurus)

Indicates that a product is derived from a specified mineral material.

(Mineral Sources, NCI Thesaurus)

A finding indicating a faster than normal rate of development.

(Accelerated Growth, NCI Thesaurus)

These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had been destroyed by Colonel Openshaw.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)