bear witness
idiom
1
: to show that something exists or is true
—+ to
His success bears witness to the value of hard work.
Rising ticket sales bear witness to the band's popularity.
2
formal
: to make a statement saying that one saw or knows something
asked to bear witness to the facts
She was accused of bearing false witness at the trial.
Examples of bear witness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The few reporters who have been able to leave bear witness to the same terrifying reality of journalists being attacked, injured and killed.
—
NBC News, 5 Apr. 2024
The importance of bearing witness to such atrocities cannot be overstated.
—Shelley Zimmerman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2024
These six move each other through every critical juncture of the story, often led by Riddley’s sharp instincts, imbuing her character with purposeful and necessary strokes to challenge all who bear witness to her tactics.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024
To bear witness to the beginning of a medium all the way up to now is pretty incredible to watch.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
In a body of work that now spans multiple decades, Frazier has continued bearing witness to postindustrial landscapes—and the people left navigating them.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2024
But, inevitably, Bella must also bear witness to injustice and reacquaint herself with suffering.
—Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024
The Downward Spiral offers a glimpse into a private abyss, where the listener is shocked out of complacency and forced to bear witness to the narrator’s descent.
—Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024
His remarkable photographs and films of global industrial landscapes represent his dedication to bearing witness to the impact of humans have had on the planet.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
NBC News, 5 Apr. 2024
The importance of bearing witness to such atrocities cannot be overstated.
—Shelley Zimmerman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2024
These six move each other through every critical juncture of the story, often led by Riddley’s sharp instincts, imbuing her character with purposeful and necessary strokes to challenge all who bear witness to her tactics.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024
To bear witness to the beginning of a medium all the way up to now is pretty incredible to watch.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
In a body of work that now spans multiple decades, Frazier has continued bearing witness to postindustrial landscapes—and the people left navigating them.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2024
But, inevitably, Bella must also bear witness to injustice and reacquaint herself with suffering.
—Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024
The Downward Spiral offers a glimpse into a private abyss, where the listener is shocked out of complacency and forced to bear witness to the narrator’s descent.
—Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024
His remarkable photographs and films of global industrial landscapes represent his dedication to bearing witness to the impact of humans have had on the planet.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bear witness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Bear witness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear%20witness. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
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