Phrase guide

bear witness

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To deliver a testimony, especially as witness

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He hesitated to bear witness against them in court for fear of reprisals by the felons' accomplices

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To prove, demonstrate

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The dubious state of the whole society bears witness of years of misrule

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

give testimony in a court of law

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: testify, attest, take the stand

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: declare

Narrower terms: vouch

4

verb

Meaning 4

provide evidence for

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The blood test showed that he was the father
  • Her behavior testified to her incompetence

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: testify, prove, evidence, show

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inform

Narrower terms: attest, certify, manifest, demonstrate, evidence, presume, adduce, abduce, cite

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: شَهِدَ (šahida) — to deliver testimony
  • Belarusian: све́дчыць (svjédčycʹ) — to deliver testimony
  • Czech: svědčit — to deliver testimony
  • Dutch: (een) getuigenis afleggen — to deliver testimony
  • Dutch: getuigen — to deliver testimony
  • Egyptian: mt:t:r-Dba-Dba-A2 (mtr) — to deliver testimony
  • German: bezeugen — to deliver testimony
  • Ancient Greek: μαρτυρέω (marturéō) — to deliver testimony
  • Hebrew: העיד (he'íd) — to deliver testimony
  • Hungarian: tanúskodik — to deliver testimony
  • Hungarian: tanúvallomást tesz — to deliver testimony
  • Latin: testificor — to deliver testimony
  • Polish: dawać świadectwo — to deliver testimony
  • Polish: dać świadectwo — to deliver testimony
  • Portuguese: testemunhar — to deliver testimony
  • Russian: свиде́тельствовать (svidételʹstvovatʹ) — to deliver testimony
  • Scottish Gaelic: tog fianais — to deliver testimony
  • Slovak: svedčiť — to deliver testimony
  • Swedish: vittna — to deliver testimony
  • Swedish: avlägga vittnesbörd — to deliver testimony
  • Ukrainian: сві́дчити (svídčyty) — to deliver testimony
  • Dutch: getuigen — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Hebrew: העיד (he'íd) — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Hebrew: המחיש (himkhísh) — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Hungarian: tanúskodik — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Hungarian: tanúsít — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Hungarian: szemléltet — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Polish: dawać świadectwo — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Polish: dać świadectwo — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Portuguese: provar — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Scottish Gaelic: tog fianais — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Serbo-Croatian: svedočiti — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Swedish: vittna — to prove, to demonstrate
  • Swedish: bära vittnesbörd — to prove, to demonstrate