You can use indicate and show in a similar way when you are talking about evidence or the results of research.
If you show an object to someone, you hold it up or give or take it to them, so that they can look at it. When show has this meaning, it always takes an indirect object. You can say 'show someone something' or 'show something to someone.
'Indicate' is not usually used with this meaning.
Imperative |
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show |
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Noun | 1. | ![]() entertainment, amusement - an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention dog show - a competitive exhibition of dogs horseshow - a competitive exhibition of horses raree-show - a street show circus - a performance given by a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, and trained animals; "the children always love to go to the circus" ice show - any entertainment performed by ice skaters entr'acte, interlude, intermezzo - a brief show (music or dance etc) inserted between the sections of a longer performance display, exhibit, showing - something shown to the public; "the museum had many exhibits of oriental art" demonstration, presentation, presentment - a show or display; the act of presenting something to sight or view; "the presentation of new data"; "he gave the customer a demonstration" demonstration - a show of military force or preparedness; "he confused the enemy with feints and demonstrations" road show - a show on tour sideshow - a minor show that is part of a larger one (as at the circus) Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Wild West Show - a spectacular show organized in 1883 by William F. Cody that featured horseback riding and marksmanship on a large scale; toured the United States and Europe |
2. | ![]() demo, demonstration - a visual presentation showing how something works; "the lecture was accompanied by dramatic demonstrations"; "the lecturer shot off a pistol as a demonstration of the startle response" big stick - a display of force or power; "speak softly but carry a big stick" | |
3. | show - a social event involving a public performance or entertainment; "they wanted to see some of the shows on Broadway" choreography, stage dancing - a show involving artistic dancing motion picture, motion-picture show, movie, moving picture, moving-picture show, pic, film, picture show, flick, picture - a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement; "they went to a movie every Saturday night"; "the film was shot on location" attraction - an entertainment that is offered to the public performance, public presentation - a dramatic or musical entertainment; "they listened to ten different performances"; "the play ran for 100 performances"; "the frequent performances of the symphony testify to its popularity" burlesque - a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor; consists of comic skits and short turns (and sometimes striptease) play - a theatrical performance of a drama; "the play lasted two hours" puppet play, puppet show - a show in which the actors are puppets variety show, variety - a show consisting of a series of short unrelated performances social event - an event characteristic of persons forming groups | |
4. | show - pretending that something is the case in order to make a good impression; "they try to keep up appearances"; "that ceremony is just for show" pretending, pretense, feigning, simulation, pretence - the act of giving a false appearance; "his conformity was only pretending" | |
Verb | 1. | show - give an exhibition of to an interested audience; "She shows her dogs frequently"; "We will demo the new software in Washington" bring home - make understandable and clear; "This brings home my point" show - make visible or noticeable; "She showed her talent for cooking"; "Show me your etchings, please" |
2. | show - establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment; "The experiment demonstrated the instability of the compound"; "The mathematician showed the validity of the conjecture" prove oneself - show one's ability or courage prove - prove formally; demonstrate by a mathematical, formal proof affirm, confirm, corroborate, substantiate, support, sustain - establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts; "his story confirmed my doubts"; "The evidence supports the defendant" negate, contradict - prove negative; show to be false stultify - prove to be of unsound mind or demonstrate someone's incompetence; "nobody is legally allowed to stultify himself" | |
3. | show - provide evidence for; "The blood test showed that he was the father"; "Her behavior testified to her incompetence" law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" attest, certify, evidence, manifest, demonstrate - provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes; "His high fever attested to his illness"; "The buildings in Rome manifest a high level of architectural sophistication"; "This decision demonstrates his sense of fairness" inform - impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to; "I informed him of his rights" presume - constitute reasonable evidence for; "A restaurant bill presumes the consumption of food" | |
4. | show - make visible or noticeable; "She showed her talent for cooking"; "Show me your etchings, please" give - present to view; "He gave the sign to start" reflect - show an image of; "her sunglasses reflected his image" peep - cause to appear; "he peeped his head through the window" project - project on a screen; "The images are projected onto the screen" do justice - bring out fully or to advantage; "This photograph does not do her justice" flash - expose or show briefly; "he flashed a $100 bill" screen - project onto a screen for viewing; "screen a film" display, exhibit, expose - to show, make visible or apparent; "The Metropolitan Museum is exhibiting Goya's works this month"; "Why don't you show your nice legs and wear shorter skirts?"; "National leaders will have to display the highest skills of statesmanship" fly - display in the air or cause to float; "fly a kite"; "All nations fly their flags in front of the U.N." bring out, reveal, uncover, unveil - make visible; "Summer brings out bright clothes"; "He brings out the best in her" demo, demonstrate, present, show, exhibit - give an exhibition of to an interested audience; "She shows her dogs frequently"; "We will demo the new software in Washington" etch - cause to stand out or be clearly defined or visible; "a face etched with pain"; "the leafless branches etched against the sky" delineate, define - show the form or outline of; "The tree was clearly defined by the light"; "The camera could define the smallest object" | |
5. | show - show in, or as in, a picture; "This scene depicts country life"; "the face of the child is rendered with much tenderness in this painting" artistic creation, artistic production, art - the creation of beautiful or significant things; "art does not need to be innovative to be good"; "I was never any good at art"; "he said that architecture is the art of wasting space beautifully" interpret, represent - create an image or likeness of; "The painter represented his wife as a young girl" illustrate - depict with an illustration map - depict as if on a map; "sorrow was mapped on the mother's face" | |
6. | show - give expression to; "She showed her disappointment" sneer - express through a scornful smile; "she sneered her contempt" convey - make known; pass on, of information; "She conveyed the message to me" burst out - give sudden release to an expression; "We burst out laughing"; "'I hate you,' she burst out" imply - suggest as a logically necessary consequence; in logic give - manifest or show; "This student gives promise of real creativity"; "The office gave evidence of tampering" exude - make apparent by one's mood or behavior; "She exudes great confidence" give vent, vent, ventilate - give expression or utterance to; "She vented her anger"; "The graduates gave vent to cheers" give voice, phrase, word, articulate, formulate - put into words or an expression; "He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees" accent, accentuate, emphasize, stress, punctuate, emphasise - to stress, single out as important; "Dr. Jones emphasizes exercise in addition to a change in diet" menace - express a threat either by an utterance or a gesture; "he menaced the bank manager with a stick" beam - express with a beaming face or smile; "he beamed his approval" smile - express with a smile; "She smiled her thanks" | |
7. | show - 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" inform - impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to; "I informed him of his rights" point - indicate the presence of (game) by standing and pointing with the muzzle; "the dog pointed the dead duck" finger - indicate the fingering for the playing of musical scores for keyboard instruments reflect - manifest or bring back; "This action reflects his true beliefs" | |
8. | show - be or become visible or noticeable; "His good upbringing really shows"; "The dirty side will show" appear - come into sight or view; "He suddenly appeared at the wedding"; "A new star appeared on the horizon" register - show in one's face; "Her surprise did not register" | |
9. | show - indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments; "The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero"; "The gauge read `empty'" say - indicate; "The clock says noon" show - give evidence of, as of records; "The diary shows his distress that evening" strike - indicate (a certain time) by striking; "The clock struck midnight"; "Just when I entered, the clock struck" indicate - to state or express briefly; "indicated his wishes in a letter" | |
10. | show - give evidence of, as of records; "The diary shows his distress that evening" attest - establish or verify the usage of; "This word is not attested until 1993" record, register, read, show - indicate a certain reading; of gauges and instruments; "The thermometer showed thirteen degrees below zero"; "The gauge read `empty'" surcharge - show an omission in (an account) for which credit ought to have been given | |
11. | ![]() lead, guide, take, conduct, direct - take somebody somewhere; "We lead him to our chief"; "can you take me to the main entrance?"; "He conducted us to the palace" marshal - lead ceremoniously, as in a procession | |
12. | show - finish third or better in a horse or dog race; "he bet $2 on number six to show" run - compete in a race; "he is running the Marathon this year"; "let's race and see who gets there first" |