testify
verb
tes·ti·fy
ˈte-stə-ˌfī 
testified; testifying
1
: to make a solemn declaration under oath for the purpose of establishing a fact (as in a court)
2
a
: to make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief : bear witness
b
: to serve as evidence or proof
3
: to express a personal conviction
2
: to declare under oath before a tribunal or officially constituted public body
3
Examples of testify in a Sentence
She refused to testify about who had given her the information.
She testified before Congress today.
He agreed to testify against his drug dealer.
He testified that he'd seen two people leave the building on the night of the murder.
These statistics testify that the program is working.
Several people testified during the revival meeting.
Recent Examples on the Web
His office did not confirm whether Walz had accepted the invitation to testify.
—
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Angela Byrd, one of Brittany Byrd's attorneys and her stepmother, argued the screenshot couldn't be replicated and that whoever took it wasn't present to testify about the nature of it.
—Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Dec. 2025
He was robbed by a man impersonating a police officer and testified as a key witness at the trial, according to a media reports.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
Witnesses testifying at a June 1989 congressional hearing held by a subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee in Washington heard a litany of horror stories of patients maimed by surgeons with dubious training and credentials.
—Jason Kane, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for testify
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Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Angela Byrd, one of Brittany Byrd's attorneys and her stepmother, argued the screenshot couldn't be replicated and that whoever took it wasn't present to testify about the nature of it.
—Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Dec. 2025
He was robbed by a man impersonating a police officer and testified as a key witness at the trial, according to a media reports.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
Witnesses testifying at a June 1989 congressional hearing held by a subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee in Washington heard a litany of horror stories of patients maimed by surgeons with dubious training and credentials.
—Jason Kane, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for testify
Cite this Entry
“Testify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testify. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
testify
verb
tes·ti·fy
ˈtes-tə-ˌfī
testified; testifying
1
a
: to make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief
could testify to the student's devotion to her studies
b
: to make a formal statement of what one swears is true
testified in court
2
: to give outward proof : serve as a sign of
yawns testifying to fatigue
Legal Definition
testify
verb
tes·ti·fy
ˈtes-tə-ˌfī
testified; testifying
: to make a solemn declaration under oath or affirmation for the purpose of establishing a fact : give testimony
: to declare in testimony
testifier
noun
Etymology
Latin testificari, from testis witness
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