hearsay

noun
UK: /ˈhɪə.seɪ/
US: /ˈhɪr.seɪ/

  1. Information received from other people that one cannot adequately substantiate; rumor.

    1. The trial relied heavily on hearsay evidence.
    2. The journalist's story was dismissed as nothing more than unfounded hearsay.

  2. Evidence based on what someone has said but is not personal knowledge.

    1. The lawyer objected to the testimony, calling it pure hearsay.
    2. Because the witness didn't see the event occur, his testimony was deemed hearsay.

Synonyms

testimony gossip rumor recollection report
hearsay verb

  1. To relate or report something one has heard but does not know to be true.

    1. I don't like to hearsay rumors about people.
    2. She refused to hearsay gossip without knowing the facts firsthand.
hearsay adjective

  1. Based on rumor rather than direct knowledge; not admissible as evidence in court.

    1. The reporter retracted the hearsay statement.
    2. The attorney challenged the witness’s hearsay testimony immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hearsay" in English means: Information received from other people that one cannot adequately substantiate; rumor., Evidence based on what someone has said but is not personal knowledge..

The phonetic transcription of "hearsay" is /ˈhɪə.seɪ/ in British English and /ˈhɪr.seɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hearsay": testimony, gossip, rumor, recollection, report.

Example usage of "hearsay": "The trial relied heavily on hearsay evidence.". More examples on the page.