firsthand

adjective

first·​hand ˈfərst-ˈhand How to pronounce firsthand (audio)
: 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

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
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.
Their firsthand experience with the sorts of systems being portrayed as vulnerable personalized the threat. Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 June 2025 Iran’s Islamic Republic government likely will block it because, aside from Panahi’s outspoken stance against its stranglehold on democracy that has landed him in prison twice, the film is highly critical of Iran’s penal system on the back of the director’s own firsthand experiences. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 June 2025 Having flown millions of miles to destinations throughout the world to speak at business conferences gives me firsthand experience of the good, the bad and the ugly of airline travel (all airlines). Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025 The best campaigns stem from not just demographic or buying behavioral data but firsthand knowledge of the person buying your product or service. Chris O'Neill, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for firsthand

Word History

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of firsthand was in 1699

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Cite this Entry

“Firsthand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firsthand. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

firsthand

adjective
first·​hand ˈfərst-ˈhand How to pronounce firsthand (audio)
: coming directly from the original source
a firsthand account of the war
firsthand adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on firsthand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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