indicate

/ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/

//ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"indicate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“indicate” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,952 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,952
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

indicate vs indict
75% similar
indicate vs intimate
75% similar
indicate vs indicated
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for indicate
PropertyValue
Headwordindicate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#3,952
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “indicate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). indicate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for indicate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,952 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for indicate, with forms such as "idnicate", "indciate", and "inddicate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "indict", "intimate", "indicated", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin indicātus, perfect passive participle of indicō (“to point out, indicate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- (“in, to”) + dicō (“to declare, (originally) to point”). See also diction and index. The correct English form is indicate, spelled I-N-D-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.
  2. 2
    To show or manifest by symptoms.
  3. 3
    To point to as the proper remedies.
  4. 4
    To signal in a vehicle the desire to turn right or left.
  5. 5
    To investigate the condition or power of, as of steam engine, by means of an indicator.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin indicātus, perfect passive participle of indicō (“to point out, indicate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- (“in, to”) + dicō (“to declare, (originally) to point”). See also diction and index.

This word in other languages

indicar(Español)indiquer(Français)anzeigen(Deutsch)indicar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: idnicate,indciate,inddicate,indiacte,indicaet,indicatte,indiccate,indictae,inidcate,inndicate,nidicate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of indicate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

idnicate2indciate2inddicate1indiacte2indicaet2indicatte1indiccate1indictae2
Edit distance from "indicate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "indicate"?
"indicate" is spelled I-N-D-I-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/.
What does "indicate" mean?
As a verb, "indicate" means: To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.
What words are commonly confused with "indicate"?
"indicate" is commonly confused with "indict", "intimate", "indicated". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "indicate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "indicate" is /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "indicate"?
Borrowed from Latin indicātus, perfect passive participle of indicō (“to point out, indicate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- (“in, to”) + dicō (“to declare, (originally) to point”). See also diction and index. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “indicate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-D-I-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “indict” - see the side-by-side comparison. indicate vs indict
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list