as in witnesses
a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it
The police are hoping to locate an eyewitness to the shooting.
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Recent Examples of eyewitnesses
The catching of a culprit—more than three decades after the fact, without forensic evidence or eyewitnesses—was heralded as an overdue reparation for police negligence and as a civil-rights milestone for Australia’s gay community.
—
Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The inquest is expected to consider some or all of the concerns that were raised at the time and reported by The Athletic in the immediate aftermath, with multiple eyewitnesses alleging failings in the care provided by Sheffield Wednesday and its medical services.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Once she was transported to an area hospital, neighbors and eyewitnesses told police another person had been shot inside the home.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
After the Herald published a series of investigative articles detailing how the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state agency that investigates fatal boating accidents, never interviewed key eyewitnesses, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office reopened the case.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
Dearman, 36, had meth in his body when Alabama put him to death by lethal injection in October 2024, according to a toxicology report confirming what eyewitnesses believed at the time.
—Abigail Brooks, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
The defense contended that the prosecution's case relied on unreliable forensic evidence and lacked eyewitnesses for the shootings.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As of Wednesday, Israeli tanks were stationed on the edge of Gaza City ahead of a ground operation into the city, according to eyewitnesses and satellite imagery.
—Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Our information will generally come from officials and eyewitnesses and, at times, other media with a track record of accuracy.
—The Denver Post, Boston Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The inquest is expected to consider some or all of the concerns that were raised at the time and reported by The Athletic in the immediate aftermath, with multiple eyewitnesses alleging failings in the care provided by Sheffield Wednesday and its medical services.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Once she was transported to an area hospital, neighbors and eyewitnesses told police another person had been shot inside the home.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
After the Herald published a series of investigative articles detailing how the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state agency that investigates fatal boating accidents, never interviewed key eyewitnesses, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office reopened the case.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
Dearman, 36, had meth in his body when Alabama put him to death by lethal injection in October 2024, according to a toxicology report confirming what eyewitnesses believed at the time.
—Abigail Brooks, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
The defense contended that the prosecution's case relied on unreliable forensic evidence and lacked eyewitnesses for the shootings.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As of Wednesday, Israeli tanks were stationed on the edge of Gaza City ahead of a ground operation into the city, according to eyewitnesses and satellite imagery.
—Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Our information will generally come from officials and eyewitnesses and, at times, other media with a track record of accuracy.
—The Denver Post, Boston Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eyewitnesses
witnesses
Noun
-
People headed into the Russian base carrying bags packed with cash and gold, according to two witnesses.—
Danny Makki,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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That’s preserved in over 300 medieval and Renaissance manuscript witnesses and has served as the basis of untold thousands of visual representations of Jesus Christ.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Eyewitnesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eyewitnesses. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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