# eyewitness

/ˈaɪˈwɪtnəs/ (US) · /ˈaɪwɪtnəs/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/eyewitness
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

someone who sees an event happen with their own eyes, especially a crime or an accident. You use this when someone can describe exactly what they saw to the police or in court.

For teachers: a person who has personally seen an event, such as a crime or accident, and can describe it. Often used in legal or journalistic contexts to establish factual evidence.

## Examples

- The police are looking for an eyewitness to the crash.
- An eyewitness reported seeing a blue car speeding away from the scene immediately after the alarm went off.
- Legal experts often caution that eyewitness testimony can be surprisingly unreliable, as stress and the passage of time can significantly alter a person's memory of a traumatic event.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used as a modifier in the compound 'eyewitness testimony' or 'eyewitness account'.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.