To indent means to start a line of text several spaces in from the left margin. When you write a paragraph in an essay, you might indent the first line by pressing the tab key or adding five spaces, creating a small gap that signals to readers that a new paragraph is beginning.

Before computers and word processors, writers using typewriters would indent by hitting the space bar several times or using the tab key. Today, many books and articles still use indentation this way, though some modern styles skip indentation and instead add extra space between paragraphs.

Beyond writing, indent can also mean to create any inward cut or notch. A coastline might have deep indentations where the ocean cuts into the land. If you press your thumb into soft clay, you'll leave an indentation, or dent, in its surface.