testimonial

1 of 2

noun

tes·ti·mo·ni·al ˌte-stə-ˈmō-nē-əl

-nyəl

Synonyms of testimonial next

: a statement testifying to benefits received

: a character reference : letter of recommendation

: an expression of appreciation : tribute

: evidence, testimony

testimonial

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or constituting testimony

: expressive of appreciation or esteem

a testimonial dinner

Did you know?

In 1639, Scottish poet William Drummond responded to the politics of his day with a facetious set of new laws, including one stipulating that "no man wear a ... periwig, unless he have a testimonial from a town-clerk, that he is either bald, sickly, or asham'd of white hairs." Testimonials take different forms, but always, like in Drummond's faux law, they provide affirmation or evidence. (Testimonial traces to Latin testimonium, meaning "evidence" or "witness.") In the 19th century, testimonial developed a new use, referring to a tribute—that is, a gift presented as a public expression of appreciation. Today, testimonial is most often used to refer to a statement that endorses a product or service.

Examples of testimonial in a Sentence

Noun He received a glowing testimonial from his former employer. her performance in this tournament has been a testimonial to the dedication and talent she brings to the tennis court

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The 1969 match ends disastrously with some violent sight gags in between testimonials from sports commentators and Diamond’s tennis opponent (Momoa). —

Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023 Then, over a martial riddim, comes not a standard chant-down of Babylon, but a testimonial about battling inner darkness. —

Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2023 The company has a promotional website dedicated to showcasing its worker testimonials, which includes images of young children from across the world. —

WIRED, 15 Nov. 2023 User Reviews and Ratings: Real-world user feedback, testimonials, and customer ratings play a crucial role in evaluating overall satisfaction and practical experiences. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2023 Seek out certifications, patient testimonials and a track record of success in alternative mental health therapies. —

Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023 Online testimonials from the faithful praised his passion for Christ, his humor and his collaborative approach in leading a sprawling, multicultural diocese. —

Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2023 Such associations don’t just serve as a testimonial to the brand’s quality but also resonate deeply with a broad audience who identifies with the genre. —

Joshua Adragna, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2023 And the company’s Dublin announcement comes with evidence of that, in the form of glowing testimonials from Irish politicians. —

Bydavid Meyer, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023

Adjective

Mehta also specified that any argument about testimonial immunity would only apply to the second count for which Navarro was charged — related to his refusal to testify — and the first count, related to the production of relevant records, would be subject only to executive privilege. —

Paulina Smolinski, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2023 Valeri told The Oregonian/OregonLive that a testimonial match between Portland and Lanús is now targeted for January 2024, during MLS preseason. —

oregonlive, 14 July 2023 The Guru Mahara Ji, appearing before the Detroit City Council Thursday afternoon, was greeted with a pie in the face from a disgruntled citizen and the first split vote on a testimonial resolution by the council in recent history. —

Jim Neubacher, Detroit Free Press, 9 Jan. 2022 Recruiting clients for testimonial campaign videos is another. —

John Hall, Forbes, 26 Mar. 2023 At home, the commission’s decision to hold testimonial hearings throughout the country – and broadcast them – made truth-telling and reconciliation accessible to ordinary people, says Baba Galleh Jallow, the former executive secretary of Gambia’s TRRC. —

Nick Roll, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Dec. 2021 Forty-four of the 55 former detainees had never shared any part of their stories publicly before and their accounts represent a significant portion of all public testimonial evidence gathered about the situation inside the internment camps since 2017. —

NBC News, 10 June 2021 When the Celtics experienced some success, the town held a testimonial dinner for him, where people spoke movingly about his contributions to the team and to the community. —

Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2023 Ray and Saliers are the only talking heads to address the camera, other than a few fans at beginning and end that offer testimonial to the act’s life-saving qualities. —

Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'testimonial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.