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.

firsthand adverb

Synonyms

• primary
• direct
• immediate

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

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images Maybin speaks not only from his perspective as an analyst, but also from his firsthand knowledge of life in professional baseball. —Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025

In their new book, veteran diplomat Robert O'Malley and a Mideast analyst Hussein Agha offer a candid assessment of the failures of the Mideast peace process based on their firsthand experience over decades in the region. —ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025

Having bird feeders in your yard can give you a firsthand look at the amazing creatures that make our ecosystems function with ease. —Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025

Yet firsthand accounts from former inmates and international observers tell a radically different story. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for firsthand

• armband
• backhand
• bandstand
• baseband
• broadband
• command
• cropland
• demand
• disband
• dreamland
• expand
• farmhand

Kids Definition

firsthand

adjective

first·​hand ˈfərst-ˈhand 

: coming directly from the original source

a firsthand account of the war

firsthand adverb