Synonyms for indirect
- adjective
Most common
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Circuitous
circuitous, oblique, roundabout, tortuous, winding, discursive, dishonest, sidelong, devious, dishonorable US, dishonourable UK, meandering, ambagious, rambling, wandering, periphrastic, digressive, circumlocutory, excursive
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Not direct
Se asked him some indirect questions to ascertain whether he was single.
Example sentences
- circuitous The train made a circuitous route back to the city center every day.
- secondary He got all his information from secondary sources.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| indirect | steady | |
| oblique | falling | |
| circuitous | steady | |
| periphrastic | rising | |
| secondary | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 7 letters
- winding2, oblique2, devious3
- 8 letters
- rambling2, tortuous3, sidelong
- 9 letters
- secondary4, wandering3, dishonest3, ambagious, excursive
- 10 letters
- collateral4, roundabout3, meandering4, discursive3, circuitous4, digressive
- 12 letters
- dishonorable5, periphrastic
- 13 letters
- dishonourable
- 14 letters
- circumlocutory
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (winding2 = 2 syllables).