indicate
indicate
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for the word "indicate" is /ˈɪn.dɪ.keɪt/.
🗣️ Syllable Breakdown
The word is broken down into three syllables:
in- /ɪn/: The vowel sound is a near-close near-front unrounded vowel, followed by a voiced alveolar nasal.
di- /dɪ/: The sound begins with a voiced alveolar stop, followed by the same near-close near-front unrounded vowel as the first syllable.
cate /keɪt/: The sound starts with a voiceless velar stop, followed by a mid-front unrounded vowel and a near-close near-front unrounded vowel diphthong, and ends with a voiceless alveolar stop.
Word Form Variations
The term "indicate" is primarily a verb, but it has several derived forms across different parts of speech:
Verb: indicate (base form), indicates (3rd person singular present), indicating (present participle), indicated (past tense/past participle)
Noun: indication, indicator (person or thing that indicates), indicant
Adjective: indicative, indicatory, indicatable
Adverb: indicatively
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb: Indicate
Definition 1: To visibly or physically point out a location, direction, object, or person, often using a gesture or sign.
Synonyms: point to, designate, show, signal, gesture toward
Antonyms: conceal, hide, obscure, withhold, keep secret
Definition 2: To serve as a sign, symptom, or piece of evidence that suggests the presence or likelihood of something else.
Synonyms: signify, mean, imply, suggest, denote, betoken
Antonyms: belie, contradict, refute, disprove, mask
Definition 3 (Formal/Medical): To call for, advise, or make necessary a particular course of action, treatment, or requirement.
Synonyms: necessitate, call for, suggest, advise, recommend
Antonyms: contraindicate, forbid, prohibit, rule out
Noun: Indication
Definition 1: A sign or piece of information that suggests or points to a fact, circumstance, or intention.
Synonyms: evidence, sign, signal, clue, hint, symptom
Antonyms: certainty, proof (when used in contrast to a mere hint), contradiction, misdirection
Definition 2: The act of pointing out, showing, or making something known.
Synonyms: designation, pointing, showing, specification, mention
Antonyms: suppression, concealment, omission, covering up
Noun: Indicator
Definition 1: A device, mechanism, or figure that displays information or a measurement, often used to monitor a process or condition.
Synonyms: gauge, meter, dial, pointer, measure
Antonyms: (None relevant as a physical object)
Definition 2: A trend, statistic, or variable that provides a measure of overall activity or health, especially in economics or science.
Synonyms: benchmark, metric, barometer, measure, signpost
Antonyms: (None relevant as an objective standard)
Adjective: Indicative
Definition 1: Serving as a sign or suggestion of something; pointing out or suggestive.
Synonyms: suggestive, symptomatic, evidential, demonstrative, revelatory
Antonyms: unrevealing, uninformative, misleading, inconclusive, concealing
Definition 2 (Grammar): Relating to a verb mood that is used to state a fact or express an opinion as a fact.
Synonyms: declarative, assertive
Antonyms: subjunctive, imperative (other grammatical moods)
Examples of Use
📰 News and Online Publications
Verb (Indicates): "Preliminary analysis indicates that the new economic policy has successfully slowed inflation, though long-term effects remain to be seen." (The Financial Times, November 2025)
Verb (Indicated): "In a press briefing, the spokesperson indicated that the President would veto the proposed bill." (Associated Press, October 2025)
Noun (Indicator): "Consumer confidence is often regarded as a leading indicator of future economic growth." (Forbes, September 2025)
Adjective (Indicative): "The sharp rise in housing prices is indicative of a severe shortage of available properties." (Reuters, August 2025)
📚 Books and Academic Writing
Verb (Indicate): "Readers should note that the asterisks used in this edition indicate missing or illegible text from the original manuscript." (From the preface of a classic literature edition)
Noun (Indication): "There was no clear indication of forced entry at the scene, leading investigators to look at other possibilities." (From a true-crime or detective novel)
Adjective (Indicative): "The pre-trial ruling was seen as highly indicative of how the full case was likely to be decided." (From a legal textbook)
🎬 Entertainment and Media
Verb (Indicate): (Used in a movie script or teleprompter direction): "The character must subtly indicate their distrust of the new ally through a change in posture, not dialogue."
Noun (Indicator): "A small flashing green light on the console served as an indicator that the system was armed and ready." (Used in a science fiction or action film description)
Verb (Indicating): "The host, indicating the prize behind a velvet curtain, built dramatic tension before the reveal." (Used in a game show narration)
🗣️ General Public Discourse and Manuals
Verb (Indicate): "Please indicate your preferred meal option on the response card before returning it." (Used on a wedding or event invitation)
Noun (Indicator): "When driving, always use your turn indicator well in advance of changing lanes or making a turn." (From a public service announcement or driving manual)
Noun (Indication): "Any indication of fever or persistent cough requires you to stay home from work." (Used in workplace health and safety guidelines, November 2025)
🔬 Scientific and Technical Use
Verb (Indicate): "The results of the titration experiment indicate a solution concentration of 0.15 molarity, within the expected range."
Noun (Indication): "The patient's elevated white blood cell count provides a strong indication of an underlying infection." (Used in a medical report)
Noun (Indicator): "In chemical analysis, phenolphthalein is commonly used as a pH indicator."
10 Quotes Using Indicate
"Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been." (Mark Twain)
"Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause." (Victor Hugo)
"A magnetic personality doesn't necessarily indicate a good heart." (Laura Linney)
"If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?" (Sydney J. Harris)
"Disarm, disarm. The sword of murder is not the balance of justice. Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession." (Julia Ward Howe)
"Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot." (Sun Tzu)
"The discs which haunt the skies of Earth indicate that the unconscious cannot be kept waiting forever." (Terence McKenna)
"Any critic is entitled to wrong judgments, of course. But certain lapses of judgment indicate the radical failure of an entire sensibility." (Susan Sontag)
"Over the long run, the price of gold approximates the total amount of money in circulation divided by the size of the gold stock. If the market price of gold moves a long way from this level, it may indicate a buying or selling opportunity." (Ray Dalio)
"Words are not the truth; they indicate the way to go, but you need to go alone, in silence." (Alejandro Jodorowsky)
Etymology
The word "indicate" has a clear and logical history that traces back to ancient Latin.
Root and Meaning
The core of the word comes from the Latin verb indic\overline{a}re.
This Latin verb is a combination of two parts:
in-: A prefix meaning "in," "on," or "toward."
dic\overline{a}re: The root verb meaning "to proclaim," "to show," or "to point out."
When put together, the literal meaning of the original Latin word was essentially "to point out" or "to show forth."
Journey into English
The word traveled through Old French as indiquer before being adopted directly into Middle English.
The first known use and meaning of "indicate" in English, dating back to the late 15th century (around the 1470s), was very close to its Latin root: "to point out" or "to point to a thing."
In Simple Terms:
Think of it this way: the word "indicate" literally means "to point (something) toward (someone/something)." That original, physical meaning of pointing a finger is still present in definitions like "to designate a location." Over time, the meaning broadened to the more abstract sense of "pointing out" a fact, like when a symptom indicates an illness.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Indicate
To indicate a preference: To state or show which choice or option one favors.
To indicate intent: To give a sign or signal of one's future actions or goals.
To indicate a need for...: To show or suggest that a certain requirement or lack exists.
To indicate the contrary: To show or suggest the opposite of what was expected or assumed.
Indicating a change of direction: (Literal or figurative) Signaling a shift in course, policy, or movement.
💡 Phrases and Idioms Using Related Words (Synonyms/Derivatives)
These phrases use the noun form ("indication") or other words with a similar effect, as "indicate" itself rarely appears in strong, traditional English idioms.
A clear indication: A piece of evidence or a sign that leaves little room for doubt.
No indication whatsoever: An absolute lack of any evidence, sign, or clue.
To point the way: (Using the synonymous verb "point") To show the direction or the solution to a problem.
A sign of the times: (Using the synonymous noun "sign") A current trend or event that reflects the general condition or mood of a period.
A smoking gun: (Refers to a strong indication or evidence) Irrefutable proof of a crime or wrong-doing.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of indicate from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
