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
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counterevidencenoun
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preevidencenoun
-
superevidencenoun
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reevidenceverb (used with object)
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unevidencedadjective
-
well-evidencedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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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
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
Alberto Carvalho said there was “no evidence of widespread impact” and called those affected “outliers.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
There was also speculation that Jackson’s death was linked to an organized crime group, but there hasn’t been any evidence so far to support that, he added.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
The strongest evidence will come when more useful AI services produce durable revenue and cash returns that justify the infrastructure behind them.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Delaying access would have risked the loss of evidence, the force said.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
I’d been raised to hate Butterflies with every fiber of my being, but the evidence in my hand was almost undeniable.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
"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 as a nation have given numerous historical evidences for sheltering and rescuing Jewish people,” Ceku told The Associated Press.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2022
I went without a lot of sleep trying to merit his increasing evidences of trust and confidence in my efforts to help build our Nation of Islam.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
The city is sick, as evidenced in photos of barren studio lots, burning trees and the boarded-up Cinerama Dome.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
And millions can go toward a new home, of course, as evidenced by the San Francisco real-estate market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
The way they do everything, of course, as evidenced by the siblings’ meeting in their mother’s garage, attempting to resolve their seemingly irreconcilable differences about their mother’s fate and their parts in it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
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
But the series most associated with the studio was evidenced by the fact they drove along 007 Drive before turning onto Goldfinger Avenue.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
"Our far-reaching theory encompasses all systems evidencing such transverse interactions. Conceivable applications range from colloid research to biology," declares co-author Dr. Michael te Vrugt, Assistant Professor at the University of Mainz.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2025
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
A 120-Hz flicker is too rapid for your eyes to detect, but if you wave your hand back and forth between your face and a fluorescent light, you will see a stroboscopic effect evidencing AC.
From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015
Peter Mahoon soon made his appearance, rather startled at being summoned from his bed, and evidencing in his toilette somewhat more of zeal than dandyism.
From Arthur O'Leary His Wanderings And Ponderings In Many Lands by Charles James Lever
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
