indication

noun

in·​di·​ca·​tion ˌin-də-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce indication (audio)
Synonyms of indication
1
a
: something that serves to indicate
an indication of a recovering economy
gave no indication of her anger
Asthma and COPD are indications for bronchodilator use.
b
: something that is indicated as advisable or necessary
a drug approved for several cardiovascular indications
2
: the action of indicating
indicational
ˌin-də-ˈkā-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce indication (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of indication

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of indication in a Sentence

Her evaluation will give me a good indication of where I stand in the class. There were indications that he was thinking of changing jobs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Frenzy 6’s upcoming integration work will provide the next indication of how quickly the design can move toward flight. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026 This is usually an indication of either something very good or something very bad. — Julie Klausner, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026 My royal sources have given me no indication that the palace was informed. — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026 In some local communities, there are indications that federal agents showing up at polling locations could sow chaos at the polls. — Philip Wang, Time, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for indication

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of indication was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing indication

Rhymes for indication

See All Rhymes for indication

Browse Nearby Words

indicated horsepower
indication
indicative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Indication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indication. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

indication

noun
in·​di·​ca·​tion ˌin-də-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce indication (audio)
1
: the action of indicating
2
: something that indicates : sign, suggestion

Medical Definition

indication

noun
in·​di·​ca·​tion ˌin-də-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce indication (audio)
1
a
: a symptom or particular circumstance that indicates the advisability or necessity of a specific medical treatment or procedure
postpartum hemorrhage is the chief indication for the use of ergot preparations and derivatives—C. H. Thienes
b
: something that is indicated as advisable or necessary
in case of collapse the immediate indication is artificial respiration—The Journal of the American Medical Association
2
: the degree indicated in a specific instance or at a specific time on a graduated physical instrument (as a thermometer)
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All