witness
verb (used with object)
to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception.
were 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.
Combined with other observations, including its exceptionally high temperature, the measurements led the researchers to conclude that they were witnessing a star being ripped apart and swallowed by a black hole.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
When guests gathered at a church in the south-west Nigerian city of Ibadan at the weekend, they knew they were witnessing something rare.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Tourists from Europe and Asia could see they were witnessing something real—a functioning human organism moved by a shared spirit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
It felt like we were witnessing the ascension of a star who’d light up Hollywood for decades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2025
Oppenheimer, who could tell they were witnessing a theatrical display of military authority, was unfazed.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
