# witness

/ˈwɪtnəs/ (US) · /wˈɪtnəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/witness
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. person who sees an event

noun · CEFR B2

someone who sees an event happen, especially a crime or an accident.

For teachers: an individual who personally observes an event, typically a significant or traumatic occurrence.

- Police are asking any witnesses to the accident to come forward.
- Several witnesses provided conflicting accounts of the altercation, making it difficult for the investigators to determine who had initiated the violence.

### 2. legal testimony

noun · CEFR B2

a person who gives evidence in a court of law.

For teachers: a person called to provide testimony or evidence under oath in a judicial proceeding.

- The witness was nervous as she stood up to answer the lawyer's questions.
- The prosecution called a surprise witness whose testimony directly contradicted the defendant's alibi for the night in question.

### 3. official observer

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

someone who watches a formal event, like a wedding or the signing of a document, to prove it happened.

For teachers: a person present at a formal transaction or ceremony to attest to its authenticity.

- You need two witnesses to sign the contract for it to be valid.
- The solicitor acted as a witness during the signing of the will to ensure all legal requirements were strictly followed.

### 4. to see something happen

verb · CEFR B2

to see something happen with your own eyes.

For teachers: to observe an event or development personally; often used for historical or significant occurrences.

- The city has witnessed many changes over the last fifty years.
- Few people have witnessed such a dramatic transformation in the local economy within a single generation.

### 5. to sign a document

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

to watch someone sign a legal document and then sign it yourself to prove it is real.

For teachers: to attest to the genuineness of a signature or document by adding one's own signature as an observer.

- The bank manager witnessed my signature on the loan application.
- The deed must be witnessed by an independent party who has no financial interest in the property being transferred.

### 6. to show or prove

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

to be a sign or proof of something.

For teachers: to serve as evidence or a clear sign of a particular quality or fact.

- His success witnesses his hard work and dedication to the project.
- The crumbling ruins witness the former grandeur of an empire that once dominated the entire Mediterranean basin.

## Examples

- The witness told the police exactly what she saw.
- Police are looking for a witness who saw the blue car leave the scene of the accident.
- The prosecution called a surprise witness whose testimony directly contradicted the defendant's alibi for the night the crime was committed.

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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.