direct evidence

American  

noun

1. evidence of a witness who testifies to the truth of the fact to be proved (contrasted with circumstantial evidence).

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direct evidence British  

noun

1. law evidence, usually the testimony of a witness, directly relating to the fact in dispute Compare circumstantial evidence

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Example Sentences

So far, there is no direct evidence that removing meat advertising from public spaces leads to a shift toward more plant-based societies.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Scientists have suspected for more than 70 years that forests might produce these effects during storms due to unusual electric field activity, but direct evidence in nature had remained elusive.

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

This discovery fills that gap and provides direct evidence of when these defining features first appeared.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Parnell demanded Financial Times retract the report, but did not provide direct evidence that the report was false.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

There is no direct evidence regarding de’ Barbari’s date of birth, but he was described as old and ill in 1512; his earliest securely dated work is 1500.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton