- present participle of wit.
witting
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
deliberate; intentional
a witting insult
-
aware; knowing
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of witting
First recorded in 1250–1300, witting is from the Middle English word witing. See wit 2, -ing 2, -ing 1
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.
An agent is a paid and witting spy; he formally, sometimes covertly, works for a foreign government.
From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2025
“I can’t but think of partial replacements as immoral because they involve a witting decision by government agencies to leave residents at continued risk of exposure,” said Lambrinidou.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 8, 2023
Yet they often falter when reckoning with their own role, witting or not, in what came to pass.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 14, 2018
We believe that future campaigns will be compounded by the employment of witting or unwitting U.S.
From The Verge ● Aug. 2, 2018
It belongs to such alone To whom art of love is known: Seely shepherds are not witting What in art of love is fitting.
From A Defence of Poesie and Poems by Sidney, Philip, Sir
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.
