indicative

1 of 2

adjective

in·​dic·​a·​tive in-ˈdi-kə-tiv 

1

: serving to indicate

actions indicative of fear

2

: of, relating to, or constituting a verb form or set of verb forms that represents the denoted act or state as an objective fact

the indicative mood

indicatively adverb

indicative

2 of 2

noun

1

: the indicative mood of a language

2

: a form in the indicative mood

Synonyms

Adjective

• denotative
• denoting
• reflective
• significant
• signifying
• telltale

Examples of indicative in a Sentence

Adjective

In “I walked to school,” the verb walked is in the indicative mood.

a wide-eyed look that is indicative of his constant curiosity

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The vote is indicative of Asian Americans’ rightward shift toward tougher crime policies like much of the state, analysts say. —Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024

Each frame in the animation covers two days, and the black circle is indicative of an expanding area that sees no sunlight as winter progresses. —Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

Noun

Indeed, by giving Wendy a more active part in the heroics indicative of the title change, this movie features more female empowerment all around, dispensing with much of the petty jealousy and girlish mooning over Peter that didn’t age particularly well during the last 70 years. —Brian Lowry, CNN, 28 Apr. 2023

Since then, atmospheric river events and a parade of storms have mostly turned things around, with green and blue colors on Dec. 27, 2021 indicative of normal to above-normal snowpack. —Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 28 Dec. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing indicative

• the indicative

Kids Definition

indicative

1 of 2 adjective

in·​dic·​a·​tive in-ˈdik-ət-iv 

1

: of, relating to, or being the grammatical mood that represents an act or state as a fact that can be known or proved

in "I am here," the verb "am" is in the indicative mood

2

: indicating something

remarks indicative of jealousy

indicatively adverb

indicative

2 of 2 noun

: the indicative mood of a verb or a verb in this mood