witnessing

present participle of witness
1
as in attesting
to declare (something) to be true or genuine a notary public witnessing wills and other important documents

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2
3
as in testifying
to make a solemn declaration under oath for the purpose of establishing a fact I witnessed to the fact that I had seen them together that night

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4
as in experiencing
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it war changes anyone who has ever witnessed it first hand

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of witnessing How do you — not as an anthropologist and not as a filmmaker, but as a human — steady yourself through witnessing something like this? — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026 Both make it onto the show after witnessing the show’s creative director (Ashley Padilla) hit a guy with her car. — Rima Parikh, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2026 In addition to being robbed of what Toro said was thousands of dollars, Toro said her children are now in therapy after witnessing the shooting. — Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 Common ACEs include things like abuse, witnessing or experiencing violence, growing up in a household with substance use or mental health problems, or experiencing instability due to parental separation or a family member being in prison. — Crystal Cederna, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026 Their attention to detail in the studio when arranging each member’s parts was like witnessing true geniuses at work. — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2026 During a recent walk-through with city officials, an encampment resident asked for help after witnessing people entering the encampment and assaulting and robbing residents. — Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 The clubhouse was somewhat somber Friday afternoon, with players still feeling shaken up after witnessing one of the scariest collisions many had ever seen on a baseball field. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026 Her mother, Dalila Lopez, stood beside her daughter teary-eyed, stating that witnessing the citizenship process filled her with joy. — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witnessing
Verb
  • The notable exception is the always effective Lena Olin, whose brief turn as a concentration camp survivor attesting to Hermine’s true sadistic nature packs a quiet charge.
    — Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Some lenders use standard factors by industry; others will accept a letter from a CPA attesting to the business’s actual expense ratio, which can meaningfully improve the income calculation for a lean operation.
    — Karen Koehler, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Gunn’s way of watching and noticing with the full weight of pure sympathy makes its way, with chiseled care, into a reticent eloquence.
    — Colm Tóibín, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Decker, a 2019 University of Mississippi graduate, is an artist and dorm room product designer who built a business after noticing the growing market during her own time on campus.
    — Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Martine Moïse described the attack while testifying earlier this year at the trial of four men who were ultimately convicted in the conspiracy to kill her husband.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The court also found that Weinstein had been unfairly discouraged from testifying in his own defense by the prospect that prosecutors could cross-examine him about uncharged allegations.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Why is Indonesia experiencing its worst ever wildfire season?
    — TheWeek, TheWeek, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In the corporate world, that can look like closing more deals, executing launches faster, making better decisions under pressure and even experiencing lower rates of burnout.
    — Roy Ward, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Creating a market mechanism where compatibility is the price of admission forces traditional defense companies to compete with agile startups, ultimately lowering unit costs and guaranteeing better integration for the entire allied enterprise.
    — Dan Driscoll, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026
  • What was his reaction emotionally when his agent told him the Heat was guaranteeing him $60 million?
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Machchhar said his daughter had come to visit him in hospital but got scared seeing him in his condition.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • There are few things more destabilizing than seeing an ex in the wild.
    — Eileen Kelly, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In his first playoff game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2025, Cole allowed one run and five hits in five innings with five strikeouts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Even retail giants like Target and Walmart stores in the Charlotte region have been undergoing recent remodels as part of multi-million dollar renovations nationwide.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Still, Burney-Scott said, the journal article is lacking some perspectives — including discussion of early menopause due to gender-affirming care, or a medical intervention — that shows the limitations of current research.
    — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The North Carolina Department of Transportation signed an agreement with Charlotte last week affirming its promise to invest at minimum $300 million in community benefits.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Witnessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witnessing. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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