substantiate

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verb

Definition of SUBSTANTIATE

1

to gain full recognition or acceptance of <substantiated his claim to local mountaineering fame with a photo of himself on the summit of Mount McKinley>

Synonyms demonstrate, prove, show, substantiate

Related Words attest, authenticate, bear out, document, evidence, support, sustain, uphold; confirm, corroborate, justify, validate, verify

Near Antonyms confute, discredit, invalidate, rebut, refute

Antonyms disprove

2

to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of <Mr. MacGregor couldn't substantiate that it was Peter, and not some other rabbit, in the cabbage patch>

Synonyms argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify, corroborate, substantiate, support, validate, verify, vindicate

Related Words avouch, back (up), testify (to), vouch (for), witness; guarantee, warrant; affirm, assert, aver, avow, declare, profess; demonstrate, document, establish, prove, reinforce (also reenforce)

Near Antonyms contradict, gainsay; deny, disavow, disclaim; challenge, contest, dispute, question

Antonyms disprove, rebut, refute

3

to represent in visible form <the artist's intense feelings are substantiated by his paintings' bold colors and broad brush strokes>

Synonyms body, epitomize, express, externalize, incarnate, incorporate, instantiate, manifest, materialize, personalize, personify, substantiate

Related Words actualize, concretize, realize; exemplify, illustrate, image, objectify, symbolize, typify

Antonyms disembody

4

to show the existence or truth of by evidence <substantiate the need for a tuition increase with some concrete figures>

Synonyms demonstrate, document, establish, substantiate, validate

Related Words back (up), buttress, circumstantiate, corroborate; evidence, evince, record, support, uphold, witness; adduce, attest, authenticate, certify, identify; confirm, sustain, verify, vouch; clinch, nail, settle; confess, depose, testify

Near Antonyms challenge, dispute, object; allege, assume, conjecture, guess, presume, surmise, suspect

Antonyms disprove, rebut, refute

5

to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) <Darwin spent the rest of his life gathering evidence to substantiate his theory of the origin of species>

Synonyms back, bolster, buttress, corroborate, reinforce (also reenforce), shore (up), substantiate

Related Words confirm, establish, prove, verify; affirm, avouch, validate

Near Antonyms undercut, undermine, weaken