circumstantial evidence

noun

: evidence that tends to prove a fact by proving other events or circumstances which afford a basis for a reasonable inference of the occurrence of the fact at issue

Examples of circumstantial evidence in a Sentence

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Prosecutors relied largely on circumstantial evidence, including hundreds of calls Chandler made to Sisco and Harkness and a 27-hour period when her cellphone went silent around the time of the killings, according to reporting by CBS. — Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 His conviction rested on circumstantial evidence and testimony from witnesses Myers’ lawyers said were unreliable, including one witness who later recanted his testimony. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026 In addition, in his instructions to the jury, Justice Justin Dewey downplayed the circumstantial evidence. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026 There had been circumstantial evidence that Zelenskyy was looking to merge his country's war with the United States’ conflict with Iran, Parsi added. — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for circumstantial evidence

Word History

First Known Use

1679, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of circumstantial evidence was in 1679

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circumstantial

circumstantial evidence

circumstantially

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“Circumstantial evidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circumstantial%20evidence. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Legal Definition

circumstantial evidence

circumstantial evidence

noun

Examples of circumstantial evidence in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Legal Definition

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