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

Drawn from expert insights and firsthand experience, these destinations combine plentiful courses with off-course appeal. — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026

The semiannual military exercise, called Combined Resolve, gave the US military a firsthand taste of how modern drone warfare has evolved on the battlefields of Ukraine. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026

Our team is genuinely excited to see all of that firsthand, not just read about it in a report. — Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Between these firsthand testimonies from veterans, his own medical miracle, and the spiritual experience, Perry became convinced that helping legitimize ibogaine should be his life’s mission. — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

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