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Synonyms

evidence

American  
[ev-i-duhns] / ˈɛv ɪ dəns /

noun

  • evidence
    plural
  1. that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof.

  2. something that makes plain or clear; an indication or sign.

    His flushed look was visible evidence of his fever.

  3. 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
  1. to make evident or clear; show clearly; manifest.

    He evidenced his approval by promising his full support.

    Synonyms:
    demonstrate
  2. to support by evidence.

    He evidenced his accusation with incriminating letters.

idioms

  1. in evidence, plainly visible; conspicuous.

    The first signs of spring are in evidence.

evidence British  
/ ˈɛvɪdəns /

noun

  1. ground for belief or disbelief; data on which to base proof or to establish truth or falsehood

  2. a mark or sign that makes evident; indication

    his pallor was evidence of ill health

  3. 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

  4. (of an accomplice) to act as witness for the prosecution and testify against those associated with him in crime

  5. on display; apparent; conspicuous

    her new ring was in evidence

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to make evident; show clearly

  2. to give proof of or evidence for

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
evidence More Idioms  
  1. see in evidence; much in evidence.


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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing evidence

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:

Other evidence about mushroom images on a memory card in Patterson's home was wrongly excluded, the lawyer said in an appeal submission in November last year.

From Barron's Aug. 17, 2026

Now there is evidence that they could be missing out on hires with a secret superpower: speedy adaptability.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 17, 2026

The fact that so many of these baryons emerge perpendicular to the beamline provides strong evidence, according to the researchers, that the baryon junction exists and plays an important role in transporting baryon number.

From Science Daily Aug. 16, 2026

To go ahead with a change of use under the new rules, developers will need to provide evidence that there is no reasonable prospect of keeping a pub business running.

From BBC Aug. 16, 2026

Here the evidence fades out for a time.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

"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

Kamala Harris’s step-children calling her by an affectionate name that plays on the word “Mom”? This evidences a household that has all the love it needs — and all the humility.

From Salon Sep. 29, 2024

“We have obtained some evidences, even videos showing that the organizer had carried out ‘body checks’,” she added.

From Seattle Times Aug. 15, 2023

I found it a large, handsome residence, showing abundant evidences of wealth in the proprietor.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Ms Sturgeon is innocent, as evidenced by the fact that she was not charged, prosecuted nor convicted of any crime.

From BBC Jul. 13, 2026

This was evidenced at a recent antidiscrimination celebration held at the Nazi-era Tiergarten city hall in Berlin’s diverse Moabit district.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 8, 2026

Micron’s sway is evidenced by the tech sector’s broader moves Thursday.

From MarketWatch Jun. 25, 2026

A result even Bayer-Monsanto seemed to doubt was possible after oral arguments, as evidenced by the intensification of their fight on every other available front.

From Slate Jun. 25, 2026

This is evidenced by the customs and devices that were long retained by the Creeks.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

There are surely no memos to the file, emails, or letters to the client evidencing such advice in writing.

From Slate Oct. 20, 2023

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

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

These victories of the Catholics, slight in themselves, were powerful as evidencing the direction of governmental policies.

From The War Upon Religion Being an Account of the Rise and Progress of Anti-christianism in Europe by Francis A. (Francis Aloysius) Cunningham

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