eyewitness

noun

eye·​wit·​ness ˈī-ˈwit-nəs How to pronounce eyewitness (audio)
: one who sees an occurrence or an object
especially : one who gives a report on what he or she has seen

Examples of eyewitness in a Sentence

The police are hoping to locate an eyewitness to the shooting. He was able to give an eyewitness account of the shooting.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While Zane was driving on I-95 south, another driver sideswiped his car at a high rate of speed without applying the brakes, according to the family, citing an eyewitness. Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 Investigators conducted interviews with eyewitnesses and the driver, who police say remained cooperative throughout the investigation. Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2025 Some geomyths, recounted orally over generations, are based on eyewitness experiences, while other accounts are grounded in a keen awareness of local terrains, plus rational and imaginative ideas about the powerful forces of nature. Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025 In reality, the eyewitnesses included members of the legal teams, law enforcement and some media personnel, according to a 1994 story in the Journal Gazette and Times-Courier. Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for eyewitness

Word History

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eyewitness was in 1539

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eyewitness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eyewitness. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

eyewitness

noun
eye·​wit·​ness -ˈwit-nəs How to pronounce eyewitness (audio)
: a person who sees an occurrence and is able to give a report of it

Legal Definition

eyewitness

noun
eye·​wit·​ness
: one who sees an occurrence or object or sometimes experiences it through other senses (as hearing) and usually reports or testifies about it

More from Merriam-Webster on eyewitness

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