firsthand
adjective
first·hand
ˈfərst-ˈhand 
: obtained by, coming from, or being direct personal observation or experience
a firsthand account of the war
… had a firsthand view of the turmoil that wracked the region.—
William W. Finan, Jr.
William W. Finan, Jr.
firsthand
adverb
Examples of firsthand in a Sentence
He gave a firsthand account of the battle.
She draws on firsthand experiences for her novel.
Recent Examples on the Web
In his verse, Fiapoto refers to someone being shot 30 times, which prosecutors argued is just another demonstration that Fiapoto had firsthand knowledge of the homicide.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Blackwood, with her firsthand knowledge of drafty manors and unhinged families, explains with remorseless precision what lies behind the fantasy—what happens when the houses, and the people in them, are neither charismatic nor lovable.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
Firelight, in turn, led to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the 1977 hit inspired by decades of mysterious, supposedly firsthand experiences with interplanetary life forms and the vehicles that got them to Earth.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026
The story is likely so relatable because the characters are inspired by Mitchell’s firsthand experiences.
—Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for firsthand
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Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Blackwood, with her firsthand knowledge of drafty manors and unhinged families, explains with remorseless precision what lies behind the fantasy—what happens when the houses, and the people in them, are neither charismatic nor lovable.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
Firelight, in turn, led to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the 1977 hit inspired by decades of mysterious, supposedly firsthand experiences with interplanetary life forms and the vehicles that got them to Earth.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026
The story is likely so relatable because the characters are inspired by Mitchell’s firsthand experiences.
—Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for firsthand
Cite this Entry
“Firsthand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firsthand. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
firsthand
adjective
first·hand
ˈfərst-ˈhand
: coming directly from the original source
a firsthand account of the war
firsthand
adverb
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