indentation

noun

ˌin-ˌden-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce indentation (audio)
Definition of indentationnext
1
as in dent
a sunken area forming a separate space the previous occupant's furniture had left some fairly noticeable indentations in the carpet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in indent
a V-shaped cut usually on an edge or a surface deep indentations along the edge of the leaf

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indentation Let sit at room temperature until buns are puffed and expanded to edges of muffin cups (dough will spring back when poked but hold a slight indentation), 25–35 minutes. — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Aug. 2026 For sets, make an indentation about 2 to 3 inches deep for each onion and space them 4 to 5 inches apart. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 July 2026 Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation in the center of each patty. — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 18 June 2026 Like the experimental teeth, the ones from Neanderthal archaeological sites had the same overlapping small fractures, shallow indentations, and shallow scratches. — ArsTechnica, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for indentation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indentation
  1. dent
  2. indent
  3. hole
  4. chip
  5. cavity
  6. slit
  7. pit
  8. groove
Noun
  • During the launch, a chunk of insulating foam broke off of the external tank and hit the bottom of the rocket booster, leaving a huge dent.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Companies like Flock allow users to conduct searches based on characteristics like vehicle make, model and color, as well as other distinctive vehicle features like dents and stickers.
    — Abigail Hall, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of dent
Noun
  • Another fun detail can be found on the vamp, which has the same series of dots signature to the sneaker but rendered merely as indents rather than full perforations — less the Gore-Tex membrane be compromised.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This one -- as hundreds of users on TikTok and Instagram have shown in the last week -- starts with half of a watermelon that's been scooped to create a bowl-like indent and frozen overnight.
    — Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 10 July 2026
Definition of indent
Noun
  • The average user on both a sportsbook and prediction market loses money, and trying to claw back losses puts users in even deeper financial holes, experts warn.
    — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Walker split a hole created by Trey Smith and Jaylon Moore on the right side of the line, never broke stride and sprinted 76 yards down the right side to set up the Chiefs’ go-ahead touchdown pass to Thornton in the fourth quarter.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • Hundreds of billions of dollars have been poured into the buildout, and not just into AI labs and models, but data centers, semiconductor chips, and so on.
    — Yerbol Orynbayev, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • What’s behind the electronics activity is rising gas intensity of more complex chips used in the AI boom.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of chip
Noun
  • Gum disease, cavities and missing teeth track with higher rates of stroke, cardiovascular disease and cancer, with ties also drawn to diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), a 3D printing method, a laser selectively melts layers of metal powder to form complex internal passages and cavities.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of cavity
Noun
  • The shoes feature distinct architectural toe-slit cutouts at the vamp, leaving the tips of each toe exposed.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Sometimes a box of foreign translations will arrive with the spine of every last book slit open.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of slit
Noun
  • The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors’ 4th District race pits outgoing State Board of Equalization member Ted Gaines against first-time candidate Gina Posey.
    — Haley Parsley October 2, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But none of those cowards should be in a pit lane in the foreseeable future.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of pit
Noun
  • The Penguins are deep and balanced and are in a nice groove with the man advantage.
    — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Those grooves encouraged the cells to line up and fuse into fibers that could pull together more effectively.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of groove

Browse Nearby Words

indent
indentation
indentations
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Cite this Entry

“Indentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indentation. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on indentation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about indentation

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