Synonym Chooser

How does the verb authenticate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of authenticate are confirm, corroborate, substantiate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When might confirm be a better fit than authenticate?

While the synonyms confirm and authenticate are close in meaning, confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

Where would corroborate be a reasonable alternative to authenticate?

The words corroborate and authenticate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

In what contexts can substantiate take the place of authenticate?

The words substantiate and authenticate can be used in similar contexts, but substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

When is it sensible to use validate instead of authenticate?

While in some cases nearly identical to authenticate, validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When can verify be used instead of authenticate?

Although the words verify and authenticate have much in common, verify implies the establishing of correspondence of actual facts or details with those proposed or guessed at.

all statements of fact in the article have been verified

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of authenticate As Connelly explained in his blog, the app's server failed to verify that a phone number in a request matched the user authenticated via a JSON Web Token (JWT). Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025 Bob’s organization can add an additional layer of protection by requiring Alice to already have an account on the IDP and authenticate herself through it. Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2025 The papers — which The Athletic has seen and authenticated, along with The Times and a YouTube documentary team — comprise a judgment against City by UEFA’s ‘club financial control board’ (CFCB) in 2020. Phil Hay, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 To prevent Mallory or another adversary-in-the-middle from obtaining the key, Alice must first authenticate herself through Okta, Ping, or whatever other identity provider, or IDP, Bob’s organization uses. Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for authenticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authenticate
Verb
  • Since 2018, the property has been the Caribbean's first and only certified carbon-neutral hotel.
    Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Districts are already required to certify their compliance with existing federal law, something Gallagher noted in her ruling.
    Cory Turner, NPR, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The usefulness of those rankings could require months or years to verify, and the AI co-scientist, which is still being evaluated by human scientists, is for now limited to biomedical research.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The system can also verify that the individual presenting the document is both physically present and matches the ID photo, all completed remotely in minutes.
    Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Early wins don’t necessarily guarantee long-term success, so continuous improvement is key.
    Hope Horner, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Cousins' salary for the upcoming season is fully guaranteed.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But officials were not able to confirm if a blown tire was at fault for the crash.
    Ron Wilkins, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Listen, many Gomez fans were skeptical when the singer confirmed her relationship with the prolific music producer back in December 2023.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Supreme Court affirmed the Geary Act’s deportation procedures, formulating a novel legal precept known as the plenary power doctrine that remains a key tenet of U.S. immigration law today.
    Rick Baldoz, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Kendrick affirmed in a March note that investors might benefit from viewing bitcoin as both an additional big tech stock and as a hedge against traditional finance, combining the best of both worlds.
    Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Multiple users on Reddit attested to this, having experienced it firsthand during the ultra-brief pause on de minimis shipments from China implemented by the Trump administration in February.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 21 Apr. 2025
  • But as any seasoned CFO will attest, mastering the numbers is only part of the equation.
    Pankaj Vasani, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Authenticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authenticate. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

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