testify
Americanverb (used without object)
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to bear witness; give or afford evidence.
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Law. to give testimony under oath or solemn affirmation, usually in court.
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to make solemn declaration.
verb (used with object)
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to bear witness to; affirm as fact or truth; attest.
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to give or afford evidence of in any manner.
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Law. to state or declare under oath or affirmation, usually in court.
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to declare, profess, or acknowledge openly.
verb
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(when tr, may take a clause as object) to state (something) formally as a declaration of fact
I testify that I know nothing about him
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law to declare or give (evidence) under oath, esp in court
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to be evidence (of); serve as witness (to)
the money testified to his good faith
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(tr) to declare or acknowledge openly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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testificationnoun
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testifiernoun
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retestifyverb
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pretestifyverb (used with object)
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untestifyingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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testifysimple
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testifiessimple
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have testifiedperfect
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has testifiedperfect
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am testifyingprogressive
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are testifyingprogressive
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is testifyingprogressive
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have been testifyingperfect progressive
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has been testifyingperfect progressive
Past
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testifiedsimple
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had testifiedperfect
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was testifyingprogressive
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were testifyingprogressive
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had been testifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of testify
1350–1400; Middle English testifyen < Latin testificārī to bear witness, equivalent to testi ( s ) witness + -ficārī -fy
Explanation
To testify is to make a statement or provide evidence, usually in court. Witnesses testify for the prosecution or defense. If you've ever seen a TV show about lawyers, you've probably seen someone testifying: putting their hand on the Bible, sitting in the witness seat, and telling what they know about a case. Testifying is serious business, but it doesn't always happen in court: If someone knows you're good at math, they can testify to your math skills. Or if you've been to a restaurant, you can testify to your friends that it has awesome desserts.
Vocabulary lists containing testify
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Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman?" (1863)
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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:
Markets will also be keeping a close eye on Washington, where new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is scheduled to testify before Congress.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Warsh will testify before Congress this week on his inflation-fighting strategy for the first time since taking over the top Fed job in May.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
According to the New Republic’s Greg Sargent, witnesses to the killing have allegedly been pressured to self-deport before they can testify.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 covered only the private rights to contract, testify and make wills.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Joseph Stanley Brown was called to testify about the assassin's visits to the White House.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
But this week, as Warsh testifies before Congress for the first time as Fed chair, he will go before an audience of lawmakers who will want answers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
The number of social-media groups and threads predicated on the opinion that Bowlero/Lucky Strike absolutely sucks testifies to the number of both serious bowlers and casual enthusiasts who see the corporation as an invasive rot.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
Congress will also get its first chance to publicly question administration officials under oath about the war when Army Secretary Dan Driscoll testifies before the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Apr. 13, 2026
This testifies to the U.S. and Israeli dominance of the skies, even if the risks of a lucky shot from the ground can never be eliminated in a conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026
Covering more than fifty encryption systems, the book testifies to the doggedness and ingenuity of Elizebeth and her team.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Local property owner Jon Janikies testified that the bill would allow the public to “destroy” his entire outdoor patio, “which I have enhanced with an outdoor bed, sink, television, fireplace, tables and chairs.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Hilton, who has campaigned to close the school and testified before Congress about her experience there in the 1990s, said the facility "failed the children in its care".
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Boland testified against Meta in a trial in the US state of New Mexico earlier this year, in which it was accused of misleading users over the safety of its platforms for children.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
A defense expert testified that the most likely cause of the blaze was fireworks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
After the “madam” had testified, I began my cross- examination by walking over to the table of evidence.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
“This has been an extraordinarily taxing ordeal for her, and she has never wavered while testifying in front of two grand juries and three trial juries over the course of eight years.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
He told everyone it was a pleasure to be there as a dress rehearsal for testifying before Congress.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
After the judge's decision to dismiss most of her case last month, Lively's lawyer suggested that a settlement might be forthcoming, but also said that her client looked forward to testifying during trial.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
In testifying against Halem, the teen, who was sworn in to testify just under his first name, Daniel, revealed a subculture around newly created crypto wealth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
Later, testifying at Oppenheimer’s security trial, he delivered a blunter assessment: “Pretty foggy thinking,” he called it.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
