Standard Lemma guide

indirect

adj · noun · verb · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɪn.daɪˈɹɛkt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɪn.dɪˈɹɛkt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌɪn.dɪˈɹɛkt/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌɪn.dəˈɹɛkt/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌɪn.daɪˈɹɛkt/
  • Australian: /ˌɪn.dɪˈɹekt/
  • Australian: /ˌɪn.dɑɪˈɹekt/
  • rhymes with -ɛkt
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N D ER0 EH1 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Not direct

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • While not mentioning any of their competitors by name, the CEO made some indirect statements that they were acting immorally.
  • Se asked him some indirect questions to ascertain whether he was single.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: circuitous

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Not direct:

Not of obvious or immediate cause, but as a secondary result.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The direct result of socialising every day in the bars may be happiness and meeting new people, but the indirect results could be addiction, or even poverty.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: circuitous

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Not direct:

Not focused straight at the target or subject; whose true aim appears secondary or obscure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: circuitous

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Not direct:

Not involving the quickest, shortest, or most convenient path; oblique.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • In an effort to beat the traffic jams, they opted to take an indirect route to their destination.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: circuitous

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Not direct:

Employing argument by contradiction; making use the law of the excluded middle; arguing via the contrapositive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, logic, mathematics, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: circuitous

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Figuratively

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Figuratively

Not straightforward, fair, or honest; corrupt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

An indirect cost.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, finance

Examples

  • 2010, Anna M. Gil-Lafuente and José M. Merigó (editos), Computational Intelligence in Business and Economics Gradually analytical thinking was taking a greater awareness of the importance it took for all the investigation system of the possible identification or traceability of fixed costs and, in general, of the indirects of other times.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

An indirect radiator.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To access by means of indirection; to dereference.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective

Meaning 11

not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • sometimes taking an indirect path saves time
  • you must take an indirect course in sailing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: direct

12

adjective

Meaning 12

extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behavior or action

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • making indirect but legitimate inquiries
  • an indirect insult
  • doubtless they had some indirect purpose in mind
  • though his methods are indirect they are not dishonest
  • known as a shady indirect fellow

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: direct

13

adjective

Meaning 13

descended from a common ancestor but through different lines

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • cousins are collateral relatives
  • an indirect descendant of the Stuarts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: collateral

Antonyms: none provided

14

adjective satellite

Meaning 14

having intervening factors or persons or influences

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • reflection from the ceiling provided a soft indirect light
  • indirect evidence
  • an indirect cause

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

not as a direct effect or consequence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • indirect benefits
  • an indirect advantage

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle French indirect, from Late Latin indirectus (“not direct”).

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: dolayı — not direct
  • Bulgarian: непряк (neprjak) — not direct
  • Bulgarian: косвен (kosven) — not direct
  • Catalan: indirecte — not direct
  • Chinese Mandarin: 間接 /间接 (jiànjiē) — not direct
  • Cornish: andhidro — not direct
  • Czech: nepřímý — not direct
  • Dutch: onrechtstreeks — not direct
  • Dutch: indirect — not direct
  • Esperanto: nerekta — not direct
  • Finnish: epäsuora — not direct
  • Finnish: välillinen — not direct
  • French: indirect — not direct
  • Galician: indirecto — not direct
  • German: indirekt — not direct
  • Greek: έμμεσος (émmesos) — not direct
  • Hungarian: indirekt — not direct
  • Hungarian: közvetett — not direct
  • Italian: indiretto — not direct
  • Latin: obliquus — not direct
  • Māori: porowhawhe — not direct
  • Polish: pośredni — not direct
  • Portuguese: indireto — not direct
  • Russian: ко́свенный (kósvennyj) — not direct
  • Russian: непрямо́й (neprjamój) — not direct
  • Slovak: nepriamy — not direct
  • Spanish: indirecto — not direct
  • Welsh: anuniongyrchol — not direct
Real reading context

indirect in complete knowledge articles

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