hearsay

noun

hear·​say ˈhir-ˌsā How to pronounce hearsay (audio)
1
: rumor
like the hearsays bandied about by the medievalistsS. N. Behrman
2

Examples of hearsay in a Sentence

You can't judge them solely on the basis of hearsay. They're supposedly getting married soon, but that's just hearsay.
Recent Examples on the Web Hundreds of Swifties spent hours outside Elm Restaurant in downtown New Canaan on Thursday afternoon amid hearsay that Swift was dining inside with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. EW.com, 20 Oct. 2023 But the team’s objectives were even loftier than the wildest hearsay. Quanta Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024 But in a trial, speculation and hearsay are against the rules. Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Nov. 2023 But today’s stories, with their cockpit footage and military hearsay, lack something of the flair of their Cold War predecessors. Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023 And yet this is an enticing bit of hearsay, and your curiosity is understandable. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023 Elaborating on a tale her daughters have only heard about in hearsay from their father, Lara's loving husband Joe, Lara revisits her past and, in doing so, affirms her present. Time, 31 July 2023 But also give voice to the unfairness of letting hearsay stand as fact. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 19 July 2023 In an email, Dr. Irons insisted that the hearsay was just that. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hearsay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hearsay was circa 1532

Dictionary Entries Near hearsay

Cite this Entry

“Hearsay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearsay. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hearsay

noun
hear·​say ˈhi(ə)r-ˌsā How to pronounce hearsay (audio)
1
: something heard from another : rumor
2

Legal Definition

hearsay

noun
hear·​say ˈhir-ˌsā How to pronounce hearsay (audio)
: a statement made out of court and not under oath which is offered as proof that what is stated is true

called also hearsay evidence

More from Merriam-Webster on hearsay

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