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 Writing has become a way of witnessing and documenting life in the times of war. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 The Chargers coach recalled witnessing Ditka's generosity while the two reviewed a game plan in Ditka's office. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026 Only two states, Indiana and Wyoming, explicitly ban members of the press from witnessing executions. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 Having a brother with schizophrenia and witnessing how families navigate the legal system when dealing with mental illness has informed her approach. — Jon Regardie, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witnessing
Verb
  • Donut has, however, posted a series of YouTube clips and test results attesting to various aspects of its batteries.
    — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • On one occasion in November 2023, a neighbor called police to one of the homes on Arlington’s Woodbrook Street after noticing a man had fallen in the backyard and seemed unable to get up.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • That’s a student sitting in a cafeteria or a locker room, noticing a name on a banner or a jersey and deciding on their own that the brand behind it is worth trusting.
    — Karl Mawhinney, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • And individual anonymous witnesses are testifying against dozens of suspects at a time, human rights groups say.
    — James Wagner, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on Alberto Sierra’s estranged wife and her two young daughters detailed on Friday their torturous final moments, testifying during Sierra’s death penalty trial.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The victim began experiencing extreme tiredness, inability to sleep and other unexplained symptoms soon after attending a prestigious conference in August, Gomelsky said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Sydney Sweeney delivered a suitable transitional look for a warmer-than-usual autumn that New Yorkers are experiencing.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • An estate planning attorney can speak about protecting a family’s future without guaranteeing probate avoidance or asset protection.
    — Matthew Nigro, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Others dodge moving objects without mathematically guaranteeing that a collision won’t happen.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Even the role of chief risk officer (CRO), a function where institutional memory and regulatory relationships would seem to argue hardest for continuity, is seeing meaningful outside recruitment.
    — Paul Davis, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For a blueprint, Johnson points to a handful of NBA stars who have mastered the art of seeing the game unfold a step or two ahead of everyone else — Draymond Green, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and, yes, former Spurs great Tim Duncan.
    — Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • PhotoTat can have additional practical applications, including for medical tattoos like those done on cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026
  • By Thursday, the pope had resumed his work activities, just days after undergoing the operation, the Vatican said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Academy of Pediatrics says decisions about gender affirming care should be made by patients and physicians, not government mandates.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni told reporters days later that Greece would not accept a deal affirming the United Kingdom’s ownership claim.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Witnessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witnessing. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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