bear witness
Americanidiom
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to serve as evidence that something is true or real.
Not everyone’s sobriety can bear witness to the effectiveness of rehab, but in her case it most certainly can.
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to proclaim or demonstrate a devout belief in.
Who will join me in bearing witness to our Lord?
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to testify; give or afford evidence, as in a court of law.
When the case went to trial, he reluctantly agreed to bear witness against his neighbor.
Etymology
Origin of bear witness
First recorded in 1300–50
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.
You have asserted your core First Amendment rights to speak, assemble, associate—to bear witness as a democratic check on an autocratic regime.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
In Ms. Desai’s hands, painting is many things: a source of escape and self-expression for the artist; a portal to memories both true and merely desired; and a way to bear witness to larger histories.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Effectively, I was the first to bear witness to the obviously caring burial of someone's child that occurred over 11,000 years ago.
From Science Daily ● May 20, 2026
"Suffice it to say, the trip was an honor. I had a chance to bear witness, and I witnessed the best of America," he said.
From Barron's ● Mar. 31, 2026
If anyone could bear witness to the long-term impact of persistent action, and also to the strength of the forces opposing change, it was Dorothy Vaughan.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
