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
Attendees reported hearing gunshots and witnessing fights, leading to panic, chaos and crowd surges, police said.
—
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Unlike Tina Turner’s enthralling, apex music biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), watching Michael is like witnessing a daredevil walk a tightrope while wearing a harness over a mammoth, inflatable bounce house.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Smith went on to highlight the significance of the program after witnessing service dogs being stabbed or shot while in the line of duty.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
In a critical moment — witnessing a hit-and-run, an abduction, or reckless driving — the average person is expected to observe, encode, retain, and report a random string of six to eight alphanumeric characters.
—Jay Gardiner, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
In terms of his musical accomplishments, Doug recalled witnessing other famous musicians gush over his father.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
However, witnessing their interactions was eye-opening.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
The amount of grief, from witnessing everything that’s happening, can feel insurmountable.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
His transition into filmmaking came after witnessing early motion picture demonstrations by Auguste Lumière and Louis Lumière in 1895.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Unlike Tina Turner’s enthralling, apex music biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), watching Michael is like witnessing a daredevil walk a tightrope while wearing a harness over a mammoth, inflatable bounce house.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Smith went on to highlight the significance of the program after witnessing service dogs being stabbed or shot while in the line of duty.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
In a critical moment — witnessing a hit-and-run, an abduction, or reckless driving — the average person is expected to observe, encode, retain, and report a random string of six to eight alphanumeric characters.
—Jay Gardiner, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
In terms of his musical accomplishments, Doug recalled witnessing other famous musicians gush over his father.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
However, witnessing their interactions was eye-opening.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
The amount of grief, from witnessing everything that’s happening, can feel insurmountable.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
His transition into filmmaking came after witnessing early motion picture demonstrations by Auguste Lumière and Louis Lumière in 1895.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witnessing
Verb
-
The family staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Some rappers have begun directly attesting to the fictional nature of their music.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And without really noticing it, the urgency that once existed at the beginning of your search quietly fades away.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
-
After noticing that one of the items purchased was the entire Lip Critic discography on Bandcamp, Kaser was later confronted by the fan at one of their shows, who claimed to have decoded hidden messages in their music.—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
For six years survivors of female genital mutilation have been calling on lawmakers to ban the practice, testifying about the painful emotional and physical consequences of the traditional custom prohibited in 41 other states.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Glockner was tasked with a redo of the company’s ethics and investigations program and testifying before the Illinois House’s six-member special investigating committee in September 2020.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In full transparency, this stay coincided with the industry experiencing a major staff shortage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 May 2026
-
For years, Haiti has been experiencing acute food insecurity, with more than half of its population facing challenges in meeting their basic food needs, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).—
Anabella González,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The outcome of competitive midterm elections remains uncertain, with historical precedent and current political conditions suggesting Democratic gains but not guaranteeing a decisive outcome that would require extraordinary constitutional measures.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
But plans changed when King and the Jackson Estate — which endorsed the project — were faced with a legal issue when a Jackson accuser who had a past settlement with the estate guaranteeing he would never be featured in a dramatization, objected.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The one big missing piece was seeing her team finally capture an elusive state championship.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Mario Tama / Getty Images file In a report whose data was largely compiled before the recent run-up, Bank of America analysts found that so far, only lower-income households were seeing a significant impact on their budgets from higher gas prices.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Always a Runner has become a star after contracting pneumonia as a 2-year-old and undergoing treatment for it.—
Stephen Whyno,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Diaz was in critical condition but died a few days later on November 25, 2024, after undergoing surgeries.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
In 2019, the Board of Governors adopted a systemwide Statement of Free Expression affirming that universities have a critical role in fostering divergent ideas and robust debate.—
Jason Jewell,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Cascios spent decades defending and affirming Michael’s innocence.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Witnessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witnessing. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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