witness
noun
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Definition of witness
(Entry 1 of 2)
witness
verbDefinition of witness (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for witness
Synonyms: Noun
attestation, confirmation, corroboration, documentation, evidence, proof, substantiation, testament, testimonial, testimony, validation, voucher
Synonyms: Verb
attest, authenticate, avouch, certify, testify (to), vouch (for)
Antonyms: Noun
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Examples of witness in a Sentence
Noun
The defense called its first witness to the stand. a witness for the defense His aunt and uncle were witnesses at his baptism. There must be two witnesses present when she signs the document.Verb
Several people witnessed the accident. We are witnessing a historic moment. He witnessed the signing of her will.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Barger was arrested Tuesday morning after a witness reported him watching a tree on fire near Abbott Road, according to the complaint. — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "Arrest made in Hillside brush fire after man found near second suspicious blaze," 4 Sep. 2019 Hawker was a key witness for the prosecution, which sought to prove Craig intended to influence U.S. media. — Amber Ali, CBS News, "Greg Craig found not guilty of lying to Justice Department about Ukraine work," 4 Sep. 2019 Sainz said witnesses reported hearing several gunshots and saw a light-colored sedan leaving the area around the time of the shooting. — Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Fatal shooting in City Heights alley; victim said to be male in late teens or early 20s," 29 Aug. 2019 Lake Countyâs top prosecutor has determined that 16 Sheriffâs Office employees can still be credible court witnesses despite offensive Facebook posts flagged as part of a national research project. — Lisa Maria Garza, orlandosentinel.com, "Lake County deputies are credible witnesses despite offensive Facebook posts, state attorney says," 29 Aug. 2019 No witnesses reported seeing him inside the vehicle. — Alice Yin, chicagotribune.com, "14-year-old boy, his hair on fire, seen running from burning vehicle in Bronzeville, police say," 27 Aug. 2019 An investigation was launched after witnesses reported that people at the Ridinâ High shop sold marijuana to teenagers, according to the office of the US Attorney for the District of Vermont. — Lisa Rathke, BostonGlobe.com, "Skateboard shop owners accused of selling pot from Vermont store," 26 Aug. 2019 Police said witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots. — Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, "Man killed in shooting outside UAB Hospital was the aggressor, authorities say," 14 Aug. 2019 Amanda Custer, 31, has been missing since July 29 when a witness reported seeing the woman, who was possibly unconscious, being loaded into the rear cargo hatch of a gray 2017 Toyota Prius outside a home in Monrovia. — Los Angeles Times, "Search expands for Monrovia woman whose boyfriend allegedly rapped about killing her," 5 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Both farmers and chefs are powered by a resilient spirit that can be witnessed in real time, as La Placita de Santurce is packed once more with dancers balancing flaky empanadillas and Medalla beer. — Aliza Abarbanel, Bon AppĂ©tit, "Where to Eat in San Juan, Where Restaurants Arenât Just RebuildingâTheyâre Thriving," 10 Sep. 2019 Some lucky portions of the northern U.S. will get to witness the Northern Lights this weekend, a result of a coming geomagnetic storm. — Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, "How to See the Northern Lights This Weekend," 30 Aug. 2019 To fly over Europe is to witness many of the policy challenges awaiting leaders on their return from holidays. — The Economist, "Europeâs long vacation flight home," 29 Aug. 2019 The type of care extended to these creatures in rural Syria, where domestic pets that are confined to the home are not as common, could be witnessed in their interactions with our American cat. — Marlo Safi, National Review, "The American Art of Obsessing over Your Pets," 24 Aug. 2019 He was inspired to do so after witnessing a similar event for U.S. veterans, back in 2013. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Prince Harry Jokes About Wearing Speedos in a Letter to Tennis Player Dylan Alcott," 20 Aug. 2019 Stimulate the mind The Lions made aesthetic changes to their locker room this offseason that reporters witnessed for the first time Monday in Allen Park. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Lions' Mike Daniels, Marvin Jones back to practice; locker room gets makeover," 19 Aug. 2019 Forty-two years later, on July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong was allowed to bring a personal guest to the Kennedy Space Center to witness the launch of NASA's towering Saturn V rocket. — Wade Roush, Scientific American, "Despite What You Might Think, Major Technological Changes Are Coming More Slowly Than They Once Did," 13 Aug. 2019 According to the Orange County Register, athlete Chuck Patterson got to witness an interesting natural phenomenon while going on a surfing trip near Laguna Beach, California: a massive pod of dolphins swimming alongside his boat. — Andrea Romano, Sunset Magazine, "Watch This Spectacular Video of a Massive âStampedeâ of Dolphins Near Laguna Beach," 30 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'witness.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.