firsthand
adjective
first·hand
ˈfərst-ˈhand 
: obtained by, coming from, or being direct personal observation or experience
a firsthand account of the war
… had a firsthand view of the turmoil that wracked the region.—
William W. Finan, Jr.
William W. Finan, Jr.
firsthand
adverb
Examples of firsthand in a Sentence
He gave a firsthand account of the battle.
She draws on firsthand experiences for her novel.
Recent Examples on the Web
Whistleblowers within the medical profession and even some of the clinic’s own staff went public with firsthand accounts of vulnerable patients being put on the transgender conveyor belt.
—The Editors, National Review, 15 Apr. 2024
Curious tourists swung by the city’s downtown and riverfront to get a firsthand look at the ongoing conflict between Texas and the federal government.
—Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for firsthand 
The Editors, National Review, 15 Apr. 2024
Curious tourists swung by the city’s downtown and riverfront to get a firsthand look at the ongoing conflict between Texas and the federal government.
—Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for firsthand
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'firsthand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near firsthand
Cite this Entry
“Firsthand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firsthand. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
firsthand
adjective
first·hand
ˈfərst-ˈhand
: coming directly from the original source
a firsthand account of the war
firsthand
adverb
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