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
That charge was bolstered by another ex-Antioch police officer — Timothy Manly-Williams — who’d been charged with a crime and agreed to testify about witnessing the incident.
—
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Tang is witnessing funding cuts in the nonprofit world.
—Lizzie Kane, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
In witnessing each other’s painful memories, David and Sarah learn a lot about each other, perhaps too much.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Park Chan-wook is witnessing a crisis in Korean cinema firsthand.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
What is your takeaway from witnessing the dramatic crash?
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
From Chincoteague's swimming ponies to Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings on South Padre Island, Texas, witnessing wildlife in its natural state is an incredibly special experience.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025
Because the conjunction trio are among the brightest objects in our solar system, witnessing the phenomenon should be incredibly easy from Earth – as long as pesky clouds don't spoil the view.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … DISTURBING WITNESS – Expert shares tips for protecting mental health after witnessing violence.
—FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Tang is witnessing funding cuts in the nonprofit world.
—Lizzie Kane, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
In witnessing each other’s painful memories, David and Sarah learn a lot about each other, perhaps too much.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Park Chan-wook is witnessing a crisis in Korean cinema firsthand.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
What is your takeaway from witnessing the dramatic crash?
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
From Chincoteague's swimming ponies to Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings on South Padre Island, Texas, witnessing wildlife in its natural state is an incredibly special experience.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025
Because the conjunction trio are among the brightest objects in our solar system, witnessing the phenomenon should be incredibly easy from Earth – as long as pesky clouds don't spoil the view.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Continue reading … DISTURBING WITNESS – Expert shares tips for protecting mental health after witnessing violence.
—FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witnessing
Verb
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According to Nessel, Smothers agreed to sign a false affidavit in May 2019, attesting to details of the beauty salon shooting that bolstered Anderson's self-defense story.—
Tresa Baldas,
Freep.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Jetelina says another potential scenario is that pharmacists might require that such individuals sign paperwork attesting to their risk factors to receive a COVID vaccine.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Nutrafol Skin Clear Skin Nutraceutical was born because Nutrafol’s team was hearing from dermatologists that some patients taking Nutrafol’s hair growth supplements were also noticing their acne clear up.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Times, however, reported that the boat had turned around after noticing a military aircraft following it.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Running concurrently with the events of Ultimatum, Tony Gilroy’s The Bourne Legacy finds Landy and Vosen testifying in front of Congress about Blackbriar.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Prosecutors alleged that Henry, Melly and fellow inmate Terrence Mathis collaborated to keep Mariah Hamilton, Melly’s ex-girlfriend, away from testifying.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
These areas are not experiencing the same correction that pandemic boomtowns across the South are now facing after years of overheating, and demand for the limited supply available remains strong, keeping prices up.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The debut of Nature of Things arrives at a time when the body and hair care categories are experiencing rapid growth and innovation.—
Emma Sandler,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The leadership of the paper, and others within Spotlight interviewed during the investigation, felt that McCarthy had behaved appropriately, and was in fact focused on guaranteeing the accuracy of sensitive, high-stakes projects.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
When Northern Democrats would not agree to militant pro-slavery demands such as passage of a federal slave code guaranteeing slavery’s westward expansion, Southern Democrats walked out.—
Time,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kolvet told Fortune that he is dedicated to seeing Kirk’s podcast continue, but a detailed plan is still in the works.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
20 Sep. 2025
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Even brief, ambient points of contact — waiting for a table, sharing the dining room, seeing who else is seated nearby — may shift how people view one another, as well as their own economic prospects.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
At the same time, the home furnishings industry was undergoing a major shift with the rise and demise of various direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands.—
Amanda Lauren,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Washington Wizards wing Bilal Coulibaly will be sidelined to begin the season after undergoing surgery on his right thumb.—
Grant Afseth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This amounts to something of a mainstreaming of accessibility by moving it out of its silo and affirming it as a critical aspect of the customer journey.—
Gus Alexiou,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Foster self-acceptance by regularly affirming your son’s inherent value, and the value of other young men, irrespective of any kind of achievements, characteristics, and physical attributes.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Witnessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witnessing. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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