What does indirect mean?
Word: Indirect
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Indirect means not going in a straight line; not saying something openly; or happening as a side effect rather than straight away.
Synonyms: circuitous, oblique
Antonyms: straight
How do you spell indirect?
Syllables: in - di - rect
Tricky part: There is only one r: indirrect is a common slip.
Watch out for: indirrect, indirekt
Memory tip: One road, one r: an indirect route may wind about, but it never doubles its r.
Indirect in a sentence
Example 1: The road to the dam is long and indirect, winding around three hills.
Example 2: Instead of saying no, my uncle gave an indirect answer.
Example 3: Pollution has an indirect effect on the price of vegetables.
Fun Fact
GST in India is an indirect tax: shops collect it from customers as part of the price and then pay it to the government.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Because of the landslide, our bus had to take a long and trnidiec route to Shimla.
a) incorrect
b) district
c) indirect
d) intricate
Show answer
c) indirect. Incorrect has two c's and an o, while district and intricate need letters the jumble does not have.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
ind_r_ct
a) i, a
b) i, e
c) e, a
d) e, e
Show answer
b) i, e. The middle syllable is di, as in dig, and the last is rect.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. vertecal 2. indirect 3. horizantal 4. parralel
a) running side by side and always the same distance apart
b) standing straight up, at a right angle to the ground
c) not going in a straight line or straight to the point
d) flat and level, like the line of the horizon
Show answer
c) not going in a straight line or straight to the point. Indirect is the correct spelling; vertical has an i after the t, horizontal has an o after the z, and parallel doubles the l, not the r.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to indirect as used in the sentence:
We took an indirect way through the old town to avoid the traffic on the main road.
a) crowded
b) narrow
c) roundabout
d) peaceful
Show answer
c) roundabout. An indirect way does not go straight, which is what a roundabout way means.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which is an indirect way of asking for water?
a) I would like some water right now.
b) Give me a glass of water, please.
c) Bring me some water from the jug.
d) It's so hot, and my throat feels dry.
Show answer
d) It's so hot, and my throat feels dry.
2. Which sentence is in indirect, or reported, speech?
a) Meera said, 'I am tired.'
b) Meera said that she was tired.
c) 'Are you tired?' asked Meera.
d) 'I am tired,' said Meera.
Show answer
b) Meera said that she was tired.
