seen for oneself
Viewed with own eyes
To have seen for oneself is to have witnessed something directly rather than hearing about it secondhand: I had to see for myself whether the rumors were true.
The phrase emphasizes personal verification—you didn't take anyone's word for it, you looked with your own eyes.
She wouldn't believe the damage until she'd seen it for herself.
- proofDemonstration of truth
- eye witnessPerson who saw something
- sightVisual perception faculty
- witnessingSeeing something occur
- visionAbility to see
with my own eyes · reality · gaze · actuality · confirmation · glimpse · up close · face to face · firsthand · in person · substantiation · corroboration · authenticity · testimony · genuineness · validation · truth · exploration
seen for oneselfhearsay
Unverified secondhand information
secondhand · reported · thirdhand · word of mouth · received wisdom
seen for oneselfassumed
Taken as true
taken for granted · presumed · supposed · guessed · speculated
seen, sees, seeing, seer, seers, oneself, ones, oneness, self