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
Whistleblowers within the medical profession and even some of the clinic’s own staff went public with firsthand accounts of vulnerable patients being put on the transgender conveyor belt.
—The Editors, National Review, 15 Apr. 2024
Curious tourists swung by the city’s downtown and riverfront to get a firsthand look at the ongoing conflict between Texas and the federal government.
—Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
My family knows from firsthand experience that living nearby these large-scale operations can cause negative health impacts, reduce our property values and foul our water and air.
—Darvin Bentlage, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
The hotels on this list were chosen based on her expertise and research as well as the firsthand accounts of Travel + Leisure editors and other contributors.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024
The employer has firsthand knowledge of their performance and fit within the company, making the transition into a new role more seamless.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024
The exhibit highlights the reactions and experiences of men and women in the U.S. military who saw firsthand evidence of Nazi atrocities in April 1945.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2024
Having firsthand knowledge of products allows agents to help customers maximize financial resources by showing them how to get the most out of products or even recommend alternatives that better align with their goals.
—Logan Rush, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
On display were archival images, personal mementos, and compelling firsthand accounts of the devastation and its aftermath.
—Susan Portnoy, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
The Editors, National Review, 15 Apr. 2024
Curious tourists swung by the city’s downtown and riverfront to get a firsthand look at the ongoing conflict between Texas and the federal government.
—Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
My family knows from firsthand experience that living nearby these large-scale operations can cause negative health impacts, reduce our property values and foul our water and air.
—Darvin Bentlage, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
The hotels on this list were chosen based on her expertise and research as well as the firsthand accounts of Travel + Leisure editors and other contributors.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024
The employer has firsthand knowledge of their performance and fit within the company, making the transition into a new role more seamless.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024
The exhibit highlights the reactions and experiences of men and women in the U.S. military who saw firsthand evidence of Nazi atrocities in April 1945.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2024
Having firsthand knowledge of products allows agents to help customers maximize financial resources by showing them how to get the most out of products or even recommend alternatives that better align with their goals.
—Logan Rush, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
On display were archival images, personal mementos, and compelling firsthand accounts of the devastation and its aftermath.
—Susan Portnoy, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'firsthand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near firsthand
Cite this Entry
“Firsthand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firsthand. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
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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