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
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to support by evidence.
He evidenced his accusation with incriminating letters.
idioms
noun
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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
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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
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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
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has evidencedperfect
-
am evidencingprogressive
-
are evidencingprogressive
-
is evidencingprogressive
-
have been evidencingperfect progressive
-
has been evidencingperfect progressive
Past
-
evidencedsimple
-
had evidencedperfect
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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:
Hwang on Thursday said she was not relying on juror statements, but expressed concern about whether jurors could distinguish questions about the adequacy of firefighting efforts from evidence challenging whether the initial blaze continued smoldering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
All the evidence points to the Premier League's collective strength.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
In her statement to the Journal, Nusseibeh pointed to her decision to take a leave of absence from the U.A.E. government as evidence of her commitment to the U.N.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
"It is contained, so far, the imported case. We have no evidence it has gone into the communities," Pate told a news conference in Abuja.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Was that evidence strong enough to back up my claim?
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
"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
“We have obtained some evidences, even videos showing that the organizer had carried out ‘body checks’,” she added.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 15, 2023
We were five to six thousand feet above sea level now, on a high plateau full of the evidences of recent mountain-building and vulcanism; we were in the Fire-Hills of the Sembensyen Range.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Others suggest he is an empty shell who will become whatever it takes to gain money and power, as evidenced by his constantly shifting attitudes about race and religion.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 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
He noted that Woody Creek has long been viewed as the “bohemian suburb of Aspen,” as evidenced by the land being used as a parking spot by writer Hunter S. Thompson when they moved in.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
Later in life, his enthusiastic enjoyment of weekend skiing and hiking often would be evidenced by his limping into the lab on crutches come Monday.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
"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
There are surely no memos to the file, emails, or letters to the client evidencing such advice in writing.
From Slate ● Oct. 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
Upon the utterance of these words the vast audience broke into thunders of applause, evidencing the fact that it was the sentiment of all.
From Alter Ego A Tale by W. W. (William Wesley) Walker
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
