Meaning & use
evidence
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Meanings
noununcountable
Facts, signs or observations that suggest something is true or has happened.
Grammar: Uncountable: some evidence, a piece of evidence, never an evidence or evidences.
Patterns
- evidence of something
- evidence that something
- evidence for something
There is strong evidence that the new method works.
The detective found no evidence of a break-in.
Scientists collected evidence from ice samples.
noununcountablelegal
Material, such as documents, objects or statements, used in a court to prove or disprove something.
Grammar: Uncountable and often used with verbs like present or admit: present evidence in court.
Patterns
- give evidence
- present evidence against someone
The lawyer presented new evidence to the jury.
The judge refused to admit the evidence.
She gave evidence at her brother's trial.
verbtransitiveformal
To show or prove that something exists or is true.
Grammar: Takes an object and sounds formal: the data evidence a trend.
Patterns
- evidence something
The rise in sales evidences strong demand.
Her calm tone evidenced her confidence.
The ruins evidence a long-lost civilization.
Word forms
| third person singular | evidences |
|---|---|
| past tense | evidenced |
| past participle | evidenced |
| -ing form | evidencing |
Common combinations
- strong evidence
- There is strong evidence that exercise improves memory.
- gather evidence
- Investigators gathered evidence at the scene.
- conclusive evidence
- No conclusive evidence has been found.
- in evidence
- Police presence was much in evidence at the match.
- evidence of
- There was evidence of water damage.
- lack of evidence
- The case was dropped because of a lack of evidence.
Synonyms and how they differ
- proof
- Proof means evidence strong enough to settle a question, while evidence may only support one side.
- testimony
- Testimony is a statement made under oath, while evidence includes objects and facts too.
- indication
- Indication is a weaker sign that points toward something, and is often countable.
- grounds
- Grounds are reasons for a belief or action, while evidence is the facts that support it.
Opposites
Word family
- evident adjective
- clearly seen or understood
- evidently adverb
- as appears clearly
- evidential adjective
- relating to or based on evidence
- self-evident adjective
- obvious and needing no proof
Commonly confused: evidence or proof?
evidence vs proof
Proof settles the matter, while evidence only supports a claim. Several pieces of evidence may still fall short of proof.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
Evidence is uncountable, so it needs a piece of or some. An evidence, evidences and many evidence are all wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “evidence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.