1. Having intervening factors or persons or influences
   "reflection from the ceiling provided a soft indirect light"; "indirect evidence"; "an indirect cause" 
2. Not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination
   "sometimes taking an indirect path saves time"; "you must take an indirect course in sailing" 
3. Descended from a common ancestor but through different lines
   "an indirect descendant of the Stuarts"
   - collateral 
4. Extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behaviour or action
   "making indirect but legitimate inquiries"; "an indirect insult"; "doubtless they had some indirect purpose in mind"; "though his methods are indirect they are not dishonest"; "known as a shady indirect fellow" 
5. Not as a direct effect or consequence
   "indirect benefits"; "an indirect advantage"

See also: allusive, ambagious [archaic], askance, askant, asquint, backhanded, circuitous, circumlocutious, circumlocutory, crooked, devious, digressive, directness, discursive, diversionary, excursive, hearsay, indirectly, indirectness, mealymouthed, mealy-mouthed, meandering, mediate, oblique, periphrastic, rambling, related, roundabout, secondary, sidelong, squint, squint-eyed, squinty, straightness, tortuous, wandering, winding

Antonym: direct

Encyclopedia: Indirect

• no one
• no problem
• no smoking
• no sweat
• no way Jose
• no-account
• no-brainer
• no-count
• no-fault
• no-fly zone
• no-frills
• no-go
• no-go area
• no-goal
• no-good
• no-hit
• no-hit game
• no-hitter
• no-hoper
• no-no
• no-nonsense
• no-par stock
• no-par-value stock
• no-parking zone
• no-see-um