Indicate and Refer to

Indicate

Indicate verb - To serve as a sign or symptom of.

Refer to is a synonym for indicate in intimate topic. In some cases you can use "Refer to" instead a verb "Indicate".

Refer to

Refer to verb - To make reference to or speak about briefly but specifically.
Usage example: try not to refer to the recent death of her aunt

Indicate is a synonym for refer to in intimate topic. You can use "Indicate" instead a verb "Refer to", if it concerns topics such as speech, note, mean.

Both terms in one sentence

  • A frequently sardonic invocation is for a character to be referred to, or refer to himself, as "Uncle" to indicate a friendly relationship that nevertheless has elements of authority.
  • On the other hand, in-game menus and the console/PC refer to the game without the supertitle, and the developers officially call it just Modern Warfare 2 to indicate its status as a new IP.
  • It also uses the term "tapping" to refer to turning a card sideways to indicate it's been used for that turn.
Cite this Source
Refer to and Indicate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/indicate/refer_to
Indicate & Refer to. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/indicate/refer_to>.
Refer to or Indicate. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/indicate/refer_to.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "indicate" and "refer to" have occurred on timeline