The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
The best another word for shows in this shows that is indicates. Demonstrates and reveals come next. All three keep your claim clear without sounding stiff.
That also answers the search for another word for this shows. Each pick works right after “this,” “the chart” or “the quote.” Each one tells your reader how sure you are.
This guide covers 26 verbs and sorts them by how strong a claim they make. Every entry has a note on tone and a plain example sentence.
You will also see two traps that cost students marks. One is using proves for evidence that only hints. The other is whether data takes shows or show.
Which word should replace shows in your sentence?
Use indicates or demonstrates for most essay claims. Use suggests when your evidence is limited. Use reveals when a text uncovers something hidden. Save proves for math, logic or settled fact. For a chart or image, depicts and presents sound right.
Find what you need the verb to do. Then read across for your another word for shows.
| If you want to | Use | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Make a clear claim from good evidence | indicates, demonstrates | Both sound academic and confident. |
| Stay careful with limited evidence | suggests, points to | They leave room for doubt. |
| Claim certainty | proves, establishes | They say the question is settled. |
| Uncover a hidden meaning in a text | reveals, implies | They fit literary analysis. |
| Explain through an example | illustrates, exemplifies | They tie a case to a bigger idea. |
| Stress why a point matters | underscores, highlights | They add weight to the finding. |
| Describe a chart, table or image | depicts, presents | They describe what the visual contains. |
| Sound formal in a report | evinces, attests to | They read as polished written English. |
Why does your evidence decide the verb?
Every verb for shows makes a claim of a certain size. Suggests says something is possible. Indicates says it is likely. Demonstrates and proves say it is clear or certain. Your verb should never claim more than your evidence can carry.
Look at what sits behind your sentence. Then pick the matching row.
| Your evidence | Claim level | Verbs to use |
|---|---|---|
| One quote, one study or a small sample | Possible | suggests, implies, points to |
| Several sources that agree | Likely | indicates, reveals, supports |
| A tested result or a logical proof | Certain | demonstrates, establishes, proves |
Most essay evidence lands in the middle row. If you are unsure, step down one level. A careful another word for shows reads as honest, while an inflated one invites the reader to argue.
The 26 Alternatives, Sorted by How Strong a Claim They Make
Some picks are close synonyms you can drop straight in. Others only fit certain settings. Each note tells you which kind it is.
Strong verbs that claim proof (1 to 6)
1. Demonstrates
A confident academic swap and one of the three best picks. It says your evidence or reasoning makes the point clear.
Example: The experiment demonstrates that light affects plant growth.
2. Proves
The strongest verb on this list. It claims the matter is settled beyond doubt. Keep it for math, logic and facts no one disputes.
Example: The receipt proves that he paid on time.
3. Establishes
It sets a fact on firm ground so you can build on it. It suits history, law and science essays.
Example: The letter establishes that the treaty was signed in secret.
4. Confirms
It says new evidence matches an earlier claim. It suits follow up sources.
Example: The second survey confirms the trend we saw last year.
5. Verifies
It points to checking or testing. You will see it in lab reports and fact checks.
Example: The repeat test verifies the original result.
6. Substantiates
A formal verb meaning to back a claim with evidence. It fits reports and debates.
Example: The records substantiate her account of the meeting.
Balanced verbs for most analysis (7 to 13)
7. Indicates
The safest everyday swap for essays. Merriam-Webster’s entry for indicate treats it as a sign or signal of something. That makes it confident without overclaiming.
Example: The rising prices indicate a shortage of steel.
8. Reveals
It means something hidden has come into view. It suits a quote that uncovers a motive.
Example: Her final letter reveals how lonely she felt.
9. Illustrates
It shows a point through an example or picture. It leans toward explaining, so for verbs that walk a reader through an idea, see these explain synonyms.
Example: The flood illustrates how fragile the old dam had become.
10. Highlights
It draws attention to one part of the evidence. It is a related alternative, since it stresses rather than proves.
Example: The report highlights a gap in rural internet access.
11. Underscores
It stresses that a point matters. If you need more stress words, our list of synonyms for emphasize has plenty.
Example: The outage underscores the need for backup power.
12. Reflects
It says a result mirrors a larger pattern or belief. It works well in social studies and literature.
Example: The novel reflects the fears of the postwar years.
13. Exemplifies
It says something is a typical example of a wider idea. Use it to link one case to a theme.
Example: The speech exemplifies the hope of the early civil rights movement.
Careful verbs that hedge the claim (14 to 19)
14. Suggests
The standard hedge in academic writing. Oxford Learner’s lists “indicate” among its senses, but it claims less certainty. Use it for early, small or mixed evidence.
Example: The early results suggest that the drug lowers blood pressure.
15. Implies
It means something is expressed indirectly. Merriam-Webster’s entry for imply also covers the imply and infer debate. A writer or text implies, while a reader infers.
Example: The narrator’s silence implies that he knew the truth.
16. Points to
A plain phrase that says the evidence leans one way. It sounds natural in both essays and speech.
Example: The muddy boots point to a walk in the rain.
17. Hints at
The weakest claim here. It fits subtle details in fiction, film or poetry.
Example: The gray sky hints at the trouble ahead.
18. Signals
It says something is a sign of change or intent. News writers use it often.
Example: The hiring freeze signals a slower year for the company.
19. Supports
It says evidence backs a claim without settling it. It often pairs with “the view that” or “the idea that.”
Example: The study supports the idea that sleep helps memory.
Verbs for charts, data and visuals (20 to 23)
20. Depicts
It describes what an image, painting or chart portrays. It is a related alternative, not a swap for claims.
Example: The mural depicts workers building the railroad.
21. Displays
It means to put something on view, as on a screen or table. It can also mean showing a quality.
Example: The dashboard displays sales by region.
22. Presents
A neutral verb for tables, figures and reports. It makes no claim.
Example: Table 2 presents the test scores for each class.
23. Represents
It says a line, bar or symbol stands for something. Use it for a chart key.
Example: The blue line represents average rainfall.
Formal and literary choices (24 to 26)
24. Evinces
A formal word for showing through outward signs. Merriam-Webster’s entry for evince says the thing shown is often an attitude or ability. It can sound showy in a short essay.
Example: His careful notes evince a real interest in the subject.
25. Attests to
It means to show or confirm that something is true. Collins’s entry for attest gives this sense. It reads as formal written English.
Example: The crowded stands attest to the team’s popularity.
26. Bears out
A phrasal verb that says later evidence confirms an earlier claim. It suits predictions.
Example: The final numbers bear out the forecast.
Is proves a safe replacement for shows?
Rarely. Proves claims certainty, while most essay evidence only makes a point likely. In Merriam-Webster’s entry for demonstrate, show is the most general verb in its group. Swapping it for proves raises your claim, so match the verb to your evidence.
Teachers often mark proves as overclaiming. One survey, one quote or one study rarely settles a question for good.
The fix is simple. Ask how many sources agree and how they were tested. Then choose from the claim scale above.
| Sentence | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The survey proves that teens prefer texting. | Too strong | One survey cannot settle it. |
| The survey suggests that teens prefer texting. | Safe | It matches limited evidence. |
| The trials demonstrate that the vaccine works. | Fair | Repeated tests back the claim. |
| The proof establishes that the angles are equal. | Strong and correct | Logic settles the question. |
The real mistake to watch is a strong verb sitting on weak evidence.
What can you write instead of “this shows” in an essay?
Name the evidence, then pick a verb from the claim scale. Write “This result indicates” or “The quote reveals” instead of a bare “this shows.” The added noun tells your reader exactly what you mean. The verb tells them how sure you are.
A bare “this” makes the reader look back and guess. This evidence shows becomes “These figures indicate” or “This pattern suggests.” Each version is clearer and only a word or two longer.
Teachers want analysis in an essay, not a summary. A precise another word for shows pushes you to say what the evidence means. That is the move that earns marks.
What about “this quote shows”?
For this quote shows, try reveals, suggests or implies. They point to meaning under the words, which is the heart of quote analysis.
Is it “the data shows” or “the data show”?
Both are standard. Merriam-Webster’s entry for data notes that technical writing often treats data as plural. Everyday writing usually treats it as a mass noun, like information. Pick one style and keep it through the whole paper.
Your synonym follows the same choice:
- The data indicates a drop in sales.
- The data indicate a drop in sales.
The first line treats data as one body of information.
The second line treats data as a set of separate facts. Many science teachers and journals prefer it. Words like results and findings are always plural, so write “the results indicate.”
Suggests or indicates: which one makes the stronger claim?
Indicates makes the stronger claim. It says the evidence points clearly in one direction. Suggests says the evidence makes something possible but leaves room for doubt. Choose indicates when sources agree and suggests when they are few or mixed.
Here is where this another word for shows gets misused. “The poll indicates a close race” sounds firm, yet one poll is thin evidence. If a second poll disagrees, your sentence looks careless.
Write “The poll suggests a close race” instead. Then, once three polls agree, move up to indicates. The verb grows as the evidence grows.
A Hypothetical Rewrite: Four Claims, Four Verbs
Here is a sample essay paragraph we wrote to show the fix. It uses shows four times.
Before: The chart shows that rents rose by a third. This shows that wages did not keep up. The interview shows that many families moved away. Overall, the evidence shows a city in trouble.
After: The chart presents a rise in rents of about a third. This gap indicates that wages did not keep up. The interview reveals that many families moved away. Together, the evidence points to a city in trouble.
Presents fits the chart because it only reports figures. Indicates makes a likely claim from a clear gap. Reveals suits a personal account. Points to gives a careful summary.
You do not need to replace every shows, though. One plain shows in a paragraph reads fine. The best another word for shows is simply the one that fits the claim. If your paragraph closes your paper, these ways to say in conclusion can help the last line too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is another word for shows in an essay?
The best another word for shows in an essay is indicates or demonstrates. Use suggests when your evidence is limited.
What can I write instead of “this shows that”?
Replace this shows that with “This result indicates that” or “This detail reveals that.” Naming the evidence makes the sentence clearer.
What is a formal word for shows?
Demonstrates, establishes and substantiates are formal choices. For a polished report, evinces and attests to also work.
What is another word for “this evidence shows”?
Try “the evidence indicates,” “the evidence suggests” or “the evidence supports the view that.” Choose based on how much the evidence proves.
Is this the same as another word for show?
Not quite. This page covers the essay form, shows, which follows “this” or “the data.” For the base verb in every sense, see our guide to another word for show.
What about shows as in TV shows?
That is the noun sense, with options like programs, series and broadcasts. These synonyms for shows cover the verb used in analysis, so a different another word for shows fits TV.
Conclusion: Let the Evidence Speak Clearly
This guide covered 26 verbs that can replace shows, sorted by how strong a claim they make. It also settled two traps: overclaiming with proves and choosing between “data shows” and “data show.”
Indicates and reveals are the easiest another word for shows for everyday essay writing. Demonstrates and establishes suit formal work backed by strong evidence. Suggests is your safe hedge when evidence is thin.
Key takeaways:
- Match the verb to how much your evidence can prove.
- Use suggests for limited evidence and indicates for agreeing sources.
- Save proves for math, logic and settled fact.
- Replace a bare “this” with a noun such as “this result.”
- Keep data singular or plural through the whole paper.
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries entry for suggest gives the example of evidence that suggests a fact. That is the careful tone good analysis needs. Browse more essay word guides on Tellyffy to sharpen the rest of your paper.
