1
as in attesting
to declare (something) to be true or genuine
a notary public witnessing wills and other important documents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
witnessed the crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of witnessing
As retailers scramble to give shoppers a reason to leave their screens, the industry is witnessing an aggressive push toward experiential spaces that merge the sensory weight of physical design with the real-time agility of digital media.
—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor Donaldson, was found to have aided and abetted her husband’s offenses for witnessing the abuse and doing nothing to intervene.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Dick Brennan has the sights and sounds of the day and Doug Williams speaks to many fans witnessing a celebration like this for the first time in their lives.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Florida alone is witnessing an influx of retail shoppers turning to secondhand shopping.
—
Amelia Espinales,
Florida Times-Union,
18 June 2026
For the viewer, the satisfaction comes through vicarious tactile sensation—witnessing how the thatch gets smacked in by a flat, hammerlike device, or the way a tile slots perfectly into a shelf niche.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
The chances of witnessing this rare event are good, provided the skies are clear and deep blue.
—
Jules-Pierre Malartre,
Space.com,
17 June 2026
In oncology, cures are celebrated, of course, but the deeper meaning of this work often lives somewhere else, in witnessing humanity at its most honest.
—
Khushali Jhaveri,
STAT,
17 June 2026
After the match, Vozinha said visa issues stopped his mother Ana Candida Evora from witnessing his heroics in person.
—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor Donaldson, was found to have aided and abetted her husband’s offenses for witnessing the abuse and doing nothing to intervene.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Dick Brennan has the sights and sounds of the day and Doug Williams speaks to many fans witnessing a celebration like this for the first time in their lives.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Florida alone is witnessing an influx of retail shoppers turning to secondhand shopping.
—
Amelia Espinales,
Florida Times-Union,
18 June 2026
For the viewer, the satisfaction comes through vicarious tactile sensation—witnessing how the thatch gets smacked in by a flat, hammerlike device, or the way a tile slots perfectly into a shelf niche.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
The chances of witnessing this rare event are good, provided the skies are clear and deep blue.
—
Jules-Pierre Malartre,
Space.com,
17 June 2026
In oncology, cures are celebrated, of course, but the deeper meaning of this work often lives somewhere else, in witnessing humanity at its most honest.
—
Khushali Jhaveri,
STAT,
17 June 2026
After the match, Vozinha said visa issues stopped his mother Ana Candida Evora from witnessing his heroics in person.
—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witnessing
Verb
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Every contribution must come with paperwork attesting to its source.
-
The family staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct.
Verb
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Royd and Maribel Lemus, co-owners of Royd’s at Gateway Farms and Nursery, expanded their farm to offer home-style Cuban food, juices, a mechanical bull, petting zoos, and gathering a space after noticing people were eager to spend time outside after the pandemic.
-
Every moment of noticing interrupts the automatic stream of thinking and reconnects you with the present moment.
Verb
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Dean was the first high-profile figure to bring attention to the issue, testifying before a House subcommittee in 2020 and appearing at several more in the years that followed.
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Short's outrage stemmed from an assistant football coach and the head of the football booster organization testifying as character witnesses for Isaac Smith, who was convicted of murdering his daughter, Karli Short, and his unborn grandchild in 2021.
Verb
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Many areas of Colorado are experiencing moderate to severe drought.
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Kennedy drew a comparison to passengers experiencing turbulence on a plane.
Verb
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He was expected to return to his starting role at cornerback this season, but Dan Campbell was guaranteeing nothing.
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These multi-year deals set which products and how much of each companies buy from Micron, guaranteeing revenue over the life of the contract.
Verb
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The journey in seeing a friend’s city anew becomes another way of seeing home.
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On June 9, witnesses reported seeing a man start a small brush fire in a field behind the Wal-Mart on Camino Arroyo, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
Verb
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The biggest loss last season was captain Aleksander Barkov, who missed the entire campaign after undergoing reconstructive right knee surgery to repair the ACL and MCL following a training camp injury.
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Remission of hepatocellular carcinoma has been reported in a few cases in a single study, and a formula containing reishi and ligustrum helped maintain the quality of life in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Verb
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Following the acquittal, the parents of Lucy Fernandez released a statement expressing disappointment while affirming their respect for the judicial process.
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Following two landmark rulings from the state’s high court affirming the new maps, as well as directives from Missouri’s secretary of state and attorney general, local election boards, including the KCEB, prepared August ballots to account for the changes to voters’ districts.
Cite this Entry
“Witnessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witnessing. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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