noticed firsthand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "noticed firsthand" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to express that you have directly observed or experienced something yourself, without relying on secondhand information. Example: "During my travels, I noticed firsthand the impact of climate change on local communities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

And if you've ever asked your real estate agent to skip past a showing appointment because of a house's unwelcoming exterior, you've noticed firsthand just how important curb appeal really is.

Forbes

But it's hard to dismiss patterns I've noticed firsthand and the overlapping assessments offered by black acquaintances from the U.S. to Zimbabwe to South Africa itself.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

As for my own translations, I have learned enormously from every one of them, even from the bad books – especially from the bad books, because translating them you notice firsthand the shortcuts, the lies, the cheating.

The Guardian - Books

Allison Blunt, who teaches middle school science in Harrison, noticed that firsthand.

The New York Times

It's your ability to notice your firsthand, direct experience of what's happening no matter if what's happening is good or not so good.

HuffPost

Father Tim, one of the priests at the chaplaincy that houses Manchester Central Food Bank, noticed the trend firsthand.

Vice

King, the owner of the Breakers, noticed the low numbers firsthand, on her night.

Los Angeles Times

In my firsthand experience, I've noticed several traits that set apart the candidates we ultimately hire from the ones we don't.

Harvard Business Review

However, several findings from our firsthand experience have been noticed to help us approximate the normalizing factor, and we also conclude that some discriminative information of NNLM exists in the unnormalized probability for N-best rescoring in the next two sub-sections.

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

He's noticed the rise in female ADHD diagnoses firsthand.

Vice

Liukin's parents initially did not aspire for their daughter to become a gymnast, knowing the pressure of high-level competition firsthand, but relented when they noticed her aptitude for the sport.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "noticed firsthand" to emphasize that your observation comes from direct, personal experience rather than hearsay or secondhand information. This strengthens the credibility of your statement.

Common error

While "noticed firsthand" is grammatically sound, overuse in formal or academic writing can make the tone less objective. Consider using more formal alternatives like "observed directly" or "witnessed personally" in such contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "noticed firsthand" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate that an observation or experience was gained directly and personally. As supported by Ludwig, this emphasizes direct personal experience.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

17%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "noticed firsthand" is a grammatically correct phrase used to emphasize that an observation or experience comes from direct, personal involvement. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, the phrase is relatively rare and is mostly found in news and media contexts. When writing, use "noticed firsthand" to strengthen the credibility of your statements. In formal academic or scientific writing, consider more formal alternatives such as "observed directly" or "witnessed personally". Remember that, depending on the context, you can use alternative phrases such as "observed personally", "experienced directly" or "saw for myself".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

observed personally

Focuses on the act of personally seeing or witnessing something.

witnessed directly

Highlights the direct experience of an event or situation.

personally observed

Similar to "observed personally" but slightly more formal.

experienced directly

Emphasizes the personal involvement in an event or situation.

saw for myself

A more informal way of saying "noticed firsthand", indicating personal verification.

directly perceived

Focuses on the act of sensing something without mediation.

gained firsthand knowledge

Highlights the acquisition of knowledge through direct experience.

had direct experience

Emphasizes the personal involvement in a situation or event.

saw with my own eyes

An idiomatic expression emphasizing personal visual confirmation.

confirmed personally

Implies verification through personal observation or experience.

FAQs

How can I use "noticed firsthand" in a sentence?

"Noticed firsthand" is used to show that you have personal experience or direct knowledge of something. For example, "I "noticed firsthand" the effects of the new policy when I visited the office."

What can I say instead of "noticed firsthand"?

You can use alternatives like "observed personally", "witnessed directly", or "experienced directly" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "observed directly" than "noticed firsthand"?

Yes, "observed directly" generally carries a more formal tone compared to ""noticed firsthand"", which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

What's the difference between "firsthand experience" and "noticed firsthand"?

"Firsthand experience" refers to having direct personal involvement in something, while "noticed firsthand" means you directly observed or became aware of something personally. One refers to the experience itself, and the other refers to the act of observing.