Indirect means not going straight to the point or not taking the shortest path. When you ask your mom an indirect question like “Is anyone using the car this afternoon?” instead of directly saying “Can I borrow the car?” you're hinting at what you want rather than stating it clearly.

An indirect route takes a longer path: walking around the block to reach your friend's house instead of cutting straight through the yard. Indirect sunlight comes through a window or reflects off something rather than beaming straight down on you. In stories, you might learn about a character through indirect characterization, where the author shows you what someone is like through their actions and dialogue instead of just telling you “Maria is brave.”

Sometimes being indirect is useful, like when you want to be tactful or when the straight path isn't available. Other times it causes confusion. If a teacher gives indirect instructions, students might not understand what they're supposed to do. Scientists look for both direct and indirect evidence: direct evidence proves something happened, while indirect evidence suggests it without showing it completely, like finding footprints that indicate someone walked past even though you didn't see them.