evidence.

information, observations, or material used to support or challenge a claim

Use it for

Words that belong together

• supporting evidence
• conflicting evidence
• weigh the evidence

On the page

The evidence supports a narrower conclusion.

New archival evidence challenges the accepted chronology.

The review weighs conflicting evidence rather than selecting only favorable studies.

Usage notes

Primary curation section: Academic. Evidence can vary in quality and may be inconclusive. It is not synonymous with proof, and it need not support only one interpretation. Normally uncountable: a piece of evidence, not an evidence. Related adjective: evidential.