indicator
noun
in·di·ca·tor
ˈin-də-ˌkā-tər 
1
2
: any of a group of statistical values (such as level of employment) that taken together give an indication of the health of the economy
3
a
: a substance (such as litmus) used to show visually (as by change of color) the condition of a solution with respect to the presence of a particular material (such as a free acid or alkali)
b
4
: an organism or ecological community so strictly associated with particular environmental conditions that its presence is indicative of the existence of these conditions
Examples of indicator in a Sentence
Economic indicators suggest that prices will go up.
a control panel with various indicator lights
Recent Examples on the Web
These 5-second, 10-second and shot-clock turnovers are a good indicator of the aggressive style of full-court defense that Texas liked to play.
—
Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Because precious metals purchases often involve direct interaction with company representatives, responsiveness and service quality are important indicators of reliability.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Robust biogenic indicators must be predicted, measured, and observationally validated.
—Big Think, 9 Feb. 2026
The latter can alternate between a conventional watch face, a chronograph, a compass, and the car’s launch-control indicator.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for indicator
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.
Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Because precious metals purchases often involve direct interaction with company representatives, responsiveness and service quality are important indicators of reliability.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Robust biogenic indicators must be predicted, measured, and observationally validated.
—Big Think, 9 Feb. 2026
The latter can alternate between a conventional watch face, a chronograph, a compass, and the car’s launch-control indicator.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for indicator
Cite this Entry
“Indicator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indicator. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
indicator
noun
in·di·ca·tor
ˈin-də-ˌkāt-ər
1
2
: a substance used to show visually (as by change of color) the presence of acid or base in a solution
Medical Definition
indicator
noun
in·di·ca·tor
ˈin-də-ˌkāt-ər
: a substance (as a dye) used to show visually (as by a change in color) the condition of a solution with respect to the presence of a particular material (as a free acid or alkali)
litmus and phenolphthalein are acid-base indicators
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
