eyewitness

noun

eye·​wit·​ness ˈī-ˈwit-nəs 

: 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

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

Word History

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for eyewitness

• fitness
• witness
• unfitness

Kids Definition

eyewitness

noun

eye·​wit·​ness -ˈwit-nəs 

: 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