Signify vs. Indicate — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 29, 2024
Signify involves conveying meaning or importance symbolically or through signs, while indicate involves pointing out or showing something directly, often based on evidence.
Difference Between Signify and Indicate
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Signify often implies a deeper, sometimes symbolic, meaning or importance attached to an action, object, or phrase. It's about conveying something beyond the literal, where the context or convention informs the interpretation. For instance, a white dove can signify peace. On the other hand, indicate is more direct and factual, involving the demonstration or pointing out of something, often based on evidence or observation. A thermometer indicates the temperature by showing a specific measurement.
The act of signifying can involve cultural, historical, or personal symbols and requires an understanding of these contexts to decode the intended meaning. For example, certain gestures or colors signify specific emotions or messages within different cultures. In contrast, indicating relies less on interpretative contexts and more on direct representation or evidence. An arrow on a sign indicating direction does not require cultural knowledge to understand its meaning.
Signify often involves an interpretive process, where the receiver must decode the message based on shared symbols, conventions, or contexts. This process can enrich communication by layering meanings and allowing for nuanced expressions. Indicating, however, aims for clarity and immediacy in communication, prioritizing straightforwardness and often relying on literal or physical evidence to convey a message.
While signifying can enrich narrative, art, and communication with depth and layered meanings, it also carries the risk of misinterpretation, especially across different cultural or contextual lines. Indicating, with its emphasis on directness and clarity, minimizes the risk of misunderstanding but may lack the depth or nuance that symbolic communication can provide.
Signify and indicate both serve to communicate but do so in markedly different ways. Signify relies on symbolic, often culturally bound, interpretations to convey deeper meanings, whereas indicate focuses on direct, often evidence-based, communication, offering clarity and immediacy at the expense of symbolic depth.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To convey meaning symbolically or represent something in a deeper or symbolic sense.
To show, point out, or make known directly and factually.
Communication Type
Symbolic, interpretive.
Direct, factual.
Context Dependence
High (cultural, historical, personal symbols).
Low (relies on evidence or observation).
Example Usage
A white dove signifying peace.
A thermometer indicating temperature.
Interpretation
Requires decoding of symbols or conventions.
Direct and requires minimal interpretation.
Application
Art, literature, cultural communication.
Science, directions, factual communication.
Compare with Definitions
Signify
A nation's flag can signify its history and values.
The flag's colors signify bravery, purity, and justice.
Indicate
Traffic signs indicate rules and directions for drivers.
The sign indicates a speed limit of 50 mph.
Signify
A red rose signifies love in many cultures.
He gave her a red rose to signify his deep affection.
Indicate
Economic indicators show the health of the economy.
Rising employment rates indicate economic recovery.
Signify
A company logo signifies its brand and identity.
The logo signifies the company's commitment to sustainability.
Indicate
A fever may indicate an infection.
His high temperature indicated he might have the flu.
Signify
In literature, darkness may signify evil or mystery.
The author used the stormy night to signify the protagonist's turmoil.
Indicate
Footprints in the snow indicate someone passed by recently.
The fresh footprints indicated a hiker had been there that morning.
Signify
Hand gestures can signify different meanings across cultures.
A thumbs-up signifies approval in many Western cultures.
Indicate
A gauge indicates the fuel level in a car.
The fuel gauge indicates that the tank is nearly empty.
Signify
Signify is the fourth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. It was released in September 1996 and later re-released in 2003 with a second disc of demos, which had previously been released on the b-side cassette tape Insignificance, and a third time, on vinyl, on 9 May 2011.
Indicate
To show the way to or the direction of; point out
An arrow indicating north.
Indicated the right road by nodding toward it.
Signify
To denote; mean
A red traffic light signifies that traffic must stop.
Indicate
To serve as a sign, symptom, or token of; signify
"The cracking and booming of the ice indicate a change of temperature" (Henry David Thoreau).
Signify
To be a sign or indication of; suggest or imply
The test results will signify how serious the problem is. The surge in housing starts signifies an upturn in the economy.
Indicate
To suggest or demonstrate the necessity, expedience, or advisability of
The symptoms indicate immediate surgery.
Signify
To make known, as with a sign or word
He signified his disagreement with a frown.
Indicate
To state or express briefly
Indicated his wishes in a letter.
Indicating her approval with a nod.
Signify
To have meaning or importance.
Indicate
To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.
The guard blew his whistle to indicate imminent departure.
Signify
(Slang) To exchange humorous insults in a verbal game.
Indicate
To show or manifest by symptoms; to point to as the proper remedies.
Great prostration of strength indicates the use of stimulants.
Signify
To create a sign out of something.
Indicate
To signal in a vehicle the desire to turn right or left.
Signify
To give (something) a meaning or an importance. en
Indicate
To investigate the condition or power of, as of steam engine, by means of an indicator.
Signify
To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.; to indicate, announce.
Indicate
To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.
That turns and turns to indicateFrom what point blows the weather.
Signify
To mean; to betoken.
Indicate
To show or manifest by symptoms; to point to as the proper remedies; as, great prostration of strength indicates the use of stimulants. Opposite of contraindicate.
Signify
To make a difference; to matter (in negative or interrogative expressions).
Indicate
To investigate the condition or power of, as of steam engine, by means of an indicator.
Signify
To show by a sign; to communicate by any conventional token, as words, gestures, signals, or the like; to announce; to make known; to declare; to express; as, a signified his desire to be present.
I 'll to the king; and signify to himThat thus I have resign'd my charge to you.
The government should signify to the Protestants of Ireland that want of silver is not to be remedied.
Indicate
Be a signal for or a symptom of;
These symptoms indicate a serious illness
Her behavior points to a severe neurosis
The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued
Signify
To mean; to import; to denote; to betoken.
He bade her tell him what it signified.
A taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing.
Indicate
Indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively;
I showed the customer the glove section
He pointed to the empty parking space
He indicated his opponents
Signify
Denote or connote;
`maison' means `house' in French
An example sentence would show what this word means
Indicate
To state or express briefly;
Indicated his wishes in a letter
Signify
Convey or express a meaning;
These words mean nothing to me!
What does his strange behavior signify?
Indicate
Give evidence of;
The evidence argues for your claim
The results indicate the need for more work
Signify
Make known with a word or signal;
He signified his wish to pay the bill for our meal
Indicate
Suggest the necessity of an intervention; in medicine;
Tetracycline is indicated in such cases
Common Curiosities
How is indicating used in scientific communication?
Indicating in scientific communication involves presenting data, findings, or evidence directly and factually to convey information or conclusions.
What does it mean to indicate something?
To indicate something means to point out or show something directly, often based on observation or evidence, without the need for symbolic interpretation.
Why is cultural understanding important in signifying?
Cultural understanding is crucial because the meaning of symbols can vary greatly across cultures, affecting the interpretation and effectiveness of communication.
How do indicators work in economics?
Economic indicators, such as GDP growth or unemployment rates, provide direct, factual information about the economic condition or trends.
What role do gestures play in signifying?
Gestures can signify a wide range of emotions, responses, or cultural symbols, with meanings that vary significantly across different social or cultural contexts.
How do symbols signify meanings?
Symbols signify meanings through shared cultural, historical, or contextual conventions, allowing for layered or nuanced communication.
Is indicating always clear and straightforward?
While indicating aims for clarity, the interpretation can still be influenced by the observer's knowledge, experiences, or the clarity of the signs themselves.
Can an object both signify and indicate?
Yes, an object can both signify and indicate depending on context; for example, smoke can indicate fire (direct observation) and signify danger (symbolically).
Can the same sign signify differently in different contexts?
Yes, the meaning a sign signifies can change drastically in different contexts, highlighting the importance of context in symbolic communication.
What does it mean to signify something?
To signify something means to represent or convey a message, value, or idea symbolically or through signs, often requiring interpretive understanding.
How do artists use signifying in their work?
Artists use signifying to imbue their work with deeper meanings, themes, or cultural critiques, often employing symbols or motifs that resonate on multiple levels.
How does language signify cultural identity?
Language signifies cultural identity through dialects, idioms, and expressions unique to a culture, reflecting its history, values, and social norms.
What challenges arise when trying to signify across cultures?
Challenges include the potential for misinterpretation or misunderstanding due to different cultural meanings attached to symbols, requiring sensitivity and awareness.
Why might indicating be preferred over signifying in some communications?
Indicating may be preferred for its directness and clarity, especially in situations where factual accuracy and immediacy are critical.
How do indicators help in navigation?
In navigation, indicators like compasses, landmarks, or maps provide direct, factual guidance to aid in determining direction or location.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
