indirectness
1
6.1
- noun
- /ˌɪndɪˈrɛktnəs/
:
indirectez
- The differences between two poles of directness and indirectness account for more cross-cultural misunderstandings than any other single factor (p. 91) or variable.
Examples
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There is a tendency toward indirectness and away from confrontation.
Academic text (2004) -
Just an offhand comment about how directness and indirectness aren't always that simple.
Blog text (5) -
Other examples of equivocation or indirectness in speech include the following:
Blog text (21) -
It seems to be a truth because there is a certain indirectness in the way we get to it.
Academic text (1998) -
The insistence on indirectness in investment, as in trade, does not exercise a strong deterrent effect.
Academic text (1991) -
In art and literature—types of communication marked by a high degree of indirectness—the difference between utterance and information is amplified and enforced by the specific kind of relation between perception and communication established by the work.
Academic text (2016) -
In many cultures, indirectness is preferred to avoid hurting someone's feelings.
-
The politician's use of indirectness made it difficult for voters to understand his true intentions.
-
Her indirectness during the meeting left everyone confused about her actual viewpoint.
Synonyms
3
7.4
Avoiding giving a direct answer so people do not know what you really think
2
8.8
Saying or doing things in a roundabout way instead of being direct
Not saying things in a direct, clear way
Being indirect and not easy to follow
A quality of being suggested or understood without being said directly
A quality of suggesting other ideas without saying them directly
Antonyms
How Indirect
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Indirectness is made of the parts in- ('not') and direct ('straight' or 'clear'), so imagine a path that does not go straight but takes a roundabout route. That's why indirectness means not being direct or straightforward, which can make communication less clear.