evidence
Americannoun
-
evidence
plural
-
that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof.
-
something that makes plain or clear; an indication or sign.
His flushed look was visible evidence of his fever.
-
Law. data presented to a court or jury in proof of the facts in issue and which may include the testimony of witnesses, records, documents, or objects.
- Synonyms:
- affidavit, deposition, information
verb (used with object)
-
evidences,
present (3rd person singular)
-
evidenced,
past participle, past
-
evidencing
present participle
-
to make evident or clear; show clearly; manifest.
He evidenced his approval by promising his full support.
- Synonyms:
- demonstrate
-
to support by evidence.
He evidenced his accusation with incriminating letters.
idioms
noun
-
ground for belief or disbelief; data on which to base proof or to establish truth or falsehood
-
a mark or sign that makes evident; indication
his pallor was evidence of ill health
-
law matter produced before a court of law in an attempt to prove or disprove a point in issue, such as the statements of witnesses, documents, material objects, etc See also circumstantial evidence direct evidence
-
(of an accomplice) to act as witness for the prosecution and testify against those associated with him in crime
-
on display; apparent; conspicuous
her new ring was in evidence
verb
-
to make evident; show clearly
-
to give proof of or evidence for
Synonym Usage
Evidence, exhibit, testimony, proof refer to information furnished in a legal investigation to support a contention. Evidence is any information so given, whether furnished by witnesses or derived from documents or from any other source: Hearsay evidence is not admitted in a trial. An exhibit in law is a document or article that is presented in court as evidence: The signed contract is Exhibit A. Testimony is usually evidence given by witnesses under oath: The jury listened carefully to the testimony. Proof is evidence that is so complete and convincing as to put a conclusion beyond reasonable doubt: proof of the innocence of the accused.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
counterevidencenoun
-
preevidencenoun
-
superevidencenoun
-
reevidenceverb (used with object)
-
unevidencedadjective
-
well-evidencedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
evidencesimple
-
evidencessimple
-
have evidencedperfect
-
has evidencedperfect
-
am evidencingprogressive
-
are evidencingprogressive
-
is evidencingprogressive
-
have been evidencingperfect progressive
-
has been evidencingperfect progressive
Past
-
evidencedsimple
-
had evidencedperfect
-
was evidencingprogressive
-
were evidencingprogressive
-
had been evidencingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of evidence
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English noun from Middle French, from Latin ēvidentia; see evident, -ence
Explanation
Evidence is anything that can be used to prove something — like the evidence presented in a trial, or the trail of bread crumbs that is evidence of the path Hansel took through the woods. The word evidence is derived from the Latin ēvidēnt-, meaning "obvious." The word evidence shows up frequently in legal documents and dramas, because evidence is necessary proof in linking someone to a crime or crime scene. Evidence is used in many ways to show that something is true, as in "the chocolate stains around your mouth and the crumbs on the table are evidence that you ate the last of the brownies."
Vocabulary lists containing evidence
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
What this historical evidence shows is that, during a critical period of development, even relatively small differences in sugar exposure over a short period may leave effects that are still observable half a century later.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
But as the days went on, evidence mounted to suggest they were legitimate.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Underlying business trends remained under pressure, but management is seeing evidence that elements of its turnaround strategy are starting to work, Chief Executive Daniel Heaf said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
“The evidence reflects that plaintiff’s whereabouts were effectively ignored.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Elisha needed written evidence that he had not promised to marry Maggie Fox.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
"I think it evidences the fact that there is an ongoing threat in respect of dissident republican activity," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
The “rush to seek death in this case evidences strong emotional reactions” by the Utah County Attorney’s Office and the prosecutor whose child attended Kirk’s talk, Robinson’s lawyers said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
So the bias that exists just really means that we have to be very careful in taking small steps to show evidences.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025
“The disappointment of Redfall evidences Microsoft’s desperate need for attractive content if it is indeed going to beat rivals Sony and Nintendo at their own game,” analyst van Dreunen said.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 1, 2023
She broods, too, about all the little evidences of disrespect that come her way, and not only from management.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Dáire Hughes said her decades of contribution to music and cultural expression "cannot be overstated" and is "evidenced by her countless awards and honours".
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Apparently, this was evidenced by the fact that people in the office once got doughnuts during a meeting, while the remote employees didn’t get anything special.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Though most hyperscalers are expected to have negative free cash flow in 2027, “demand and order coverage are improving relative to capex, as evidenced by rising backlog-to-capex and book-to-bill ratios,” the analysts write.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Yet the effort faces formidable cultural and bureaucratic barriers, as evidenced by Günes’s clashes with what he calls the Sunday shopping police.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
In scene two, Sapiens appear, evidenced by a human bone, a spear point, or perhaps a potsherd.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
This finding is backed by neuroimaging data, evidencing reduced connectivity between regions of the brain associated with self-awareness, pain and emotional processing.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2023
When negligence is particularly egregious—either so preventable or evidencing such disregard for the safety of the people affected—it becomes a criminal wrong.
From Slate ● Jan. 27, 2023
I am super proud that is evidencing itself today in our fulfillment margins and our gross margins, with all of these changes we made during what was the most difficult time we have ever had.
From The Verge ● Jul. 26, 2022
"Economic conditions are evidencing some signs of perhaps slowing somewhat down", said Mark Luschini, Chief Investment Strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott.
From Reuters ● Apr. 11, 2022
As evidencing the interest manifested, it is conservatively estimated that more than one-tenth of the total population of the state attended the meeting.
From Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant by Mathew Joseph Holt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
