witness
verb (used with object)
to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception.
was witnessing
-
past progressiveof witness.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
By far the most common favorite memory among viewers was witnessing Jackie protect her young from fierce winter storms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
But the even bigger impact, she says, was witnessing the effect on her mother, who also had the allergy and twice suffered severe anaphylactic attacks on aeroplanes.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Inevitable as Funches’ dismissal was, witnessing the quiet camaraderie blossom between him and Rausch was one of the kindest, warmest subplots of an especially ruthless season.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
For years, I did not fully appreciate what I was witnessing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 1, 2026
What I was witnessing was a self discovering the self it could be.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
