Meaning & use
indention
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Meanings
noununcountabletechnical
The empty space at the start of a line of writing or print, which sets the line in from the margin.
Grammar: Usually uncountable: use indention for paragraphs; the count form is rare.
Patterns
- indention of something
- the indention before something
Each new paragraph begins with an indention of half an inch.
The editor asked me to fix the inconsistent indention in my essay.
In this style, there is no indention on the first line of a chapter.
noununcountablecomputing
The act of setting a line of text or code in from the margin.
Grammar: Uncountable when naming the action: the indention of quotations follows set rules.
Patterns
- indention of something
Automatic indention keeps the code easy to read.
The indention of block quotes is handled by the stylesheet.
Common combinations
- paragraph indention
- Paragraph indention helps readers see where a new idea begins.
- first-line indention
- The format calls for a first-line indention of five spaces.
- consistent indention
- Consistent indention makes the poem's structure clear.
- automatic indention
- The editor adds automatic indention after a colon.
- hanging indention
- A hanging indention is used for each entry in the bibliography.
Synonyms and how they differ
- indentation
- Indentation is the more common form and can also mean a dent or notch, while indention is mostly limited to spacing in text.
- indent
- Indent can name either the space or the notch, and is also a verb, which indention is not.
- margin
- A margin is the blank border of the page, while indention is the extra space inside it at the start of a line.
Opposites
Word family
- indent verb
- to start a line farther in from the margin
- indent noun
- a space or notch set into something
- indented adjective
- set in from the edge
- indentation noun
- a dent, or the spacing of indented text
Commonly confused: indention or indentation?
indention vs indentation
Indentation is the usual word and also means a hollow or dent in a surface, which indention rarely does.
Practice
The teacher told us to start each paragraph with a half-inch ___.
Choose one answer.
Indention is the space that sets the first line in from the margin. Intention means a plan, invention a new creation, and inflection a change in voice, so none fit a layout instruction.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “indention”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.