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 of firsthand

• 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

Investigators are looking to speak with witnesses, survivors and those with firsthand knowledge of the institutions. —Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025

In her earlier roles, Rose had firsthand experience of being pitched to by multiple WPP agencies at once. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 19 Dec. 2025

Gallagher’s firsthand experience may have helped to shape these narratives. —Ginny Hogan, Parents, 17 Dec. 2025

That means no one attending had firsthand memories of serving during the attack. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 7 Dec. 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