witness
Americanverb (used with object)
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to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception.
to witness an accident.
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to be present at (an occurrence) as a formal witness, spectator, bystander, etc..
She witnessed our wedding.
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to bear witness to; testify to; give or afford evidence of.
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to attest by one's signature.
He witnessed her will.
verb (used without object)
noun
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an individual who, being present, personally sees or perceives a thing; a beholder, spectator, or eyewitness.
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a person or thing that affords evidence.
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a person who gives testimony, as in a court of law.
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a person who signs a document attesting the genuineness of its execution.
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testimony or evidence.
to bear witness to her suffering.
- Synonyms:
- substantiation, confirmation, proof
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(initial capital letter) a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
noun
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a person who has seen or can give first-hand evidence of some event
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a person or thing giving or serving as evidence
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a person who testifies, esp in a court of law, to events or facts within his own knowledge
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a person who attests to the genuineness of a document, signature, etc, by adding his own signature
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to give written or oral testimony
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to be evidence or proof of
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verb
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(tr) to see, be present at, or know at first hand
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to give or serve as evidence (of)
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(tr) to be the scene or setting of
this field has witnessed a battle
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(intr) to testify, esp in a court of law, to events within a person's own knowledge
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(tr) to attest to the genuineness of (a document, signature, etc) by adding one's own signature
Usage
What does witness mean? A witness is someone who was present at or perceives an incident, event, or occurrence, as in Jamal was a witness to the fact that I completed all my homework. People who witness something typically do so through seeing, although they can also witness a smell or sound. In order to witness an event, one must simply be present at the time the event happened, even if the witness was not directly involved. To witness something is to see, hear, sense, or know something, as in I witnessed our dog running out the door, but I didn’t see where she went. To witness is also to testify or give evidence, especially in a court of law. Example: The key witness in the theft case was a local shop owner.
Synonym Usage
See observe.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of witness
First recorded before 950; (noun) Middle English, Old English witnes originally, “knowledge, understanding”; see wit 1, -ness; (verb) Middle English, derivative of the noun
Explanation
If you're walking down the street and see one car run a red light and plow into another, you are a witness to the accident. You saw it and can tell someone else how the accident happened. The first part of a witness's role is observation. You witness the accident. The second part is telling someone about it — bearing witness. In court, you can be a witness for the defense or prosecution. You can also witness a legal document, like a will, or a wedding conducted by the justice of the peace. Religious people use this word a lot too: being a witness in that sense is being a true believer who tries to convert others.
Vocabulary lists containing witness
"We Grow Accustomed to the Dark" by Emily Dickinson
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"Speaking Up"
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The Marvels
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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.
Sources familiar with the prosecution’s case told ABC that a central witness’ testimony would make the case “problematic.”
From Salon • Oct. 8, 2025
Mr Bove unearthed several celebrity scandals that Mr Davidson allegedly was involved in keeping quiet, apparently in an effort to shake the witness' credibility.
From BBC • May 2, 2024
Lexipol’s policy also wrongly implies that witness’ identifications don’t always have to be recorded.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2024
"A good defense lawyer will pay close attention to each word previously said by a witness and use them to cross-examine that witness and undermine the witness’ credibility in front of a jury."
From Salon • Mar. 12, 2024
When you read his book you are a ‘virtual witness’ of his experiments.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
