ascertain
verb
as·cer·tain
ˌa-sər-ˈtān 
ascertained; ascertaining; ascertains
1
: to find out or learn with certainty
ascertain the truth
trying to ascertain the cause of the fire
information that can be easily ascertained on the Internet
2
archaic
: to make certain, exact, or precise
Examples of ascertain in a Sentence
We look at digital media—images, audio and video—and we try to ascertain whether or not they've been manipulated. We use mathematical and computational techniques to detect alterations in them.
—
Claudia Dreifus, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2007
Currently, an official trying to ascertain road damage in the aftermath of an earthquake might have to keep one eye on the TV news while listening to both radio traffic reports and the police scanner. Since most of these data are available in digital form, the software could take them all in, process them and present a report outlining the best evacuation routes.
—Kevin Hogan, Technology Review, April 2002
With an equation linking the money wage to prices, the degree of inflation could be ascertained.
—Sidney Weintraub, Modern Economic Thought, (1977) 1993
Claudia Dreifus, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2007
Currently, an official trying to ascertain road damage in the aftermath of an earthquake might have to keep one eye on the TV news while listening to both radio traffic reports and the police scanner. Since most of these data are available in digital form, the software could take them all in, process them and present a report outlining the best evacuation routes.
—Kevin Hogan, Technology Review, April 2002
With an equation linking the money wage to prices, the degree of inflation could be ascertained.
—Sidney Weintraub, Modern Economic Thought, (1977) 1993
Recent Examples on the Web
Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/AP/Canva What To Know Every month, YouGov and The Economist has polled groups of U.S. adult citizens to ascertain the level of support Trump has.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
In addition, nudging techniques need to be selected prudently, and tested empirically to ascertain what works in practice, and what does not.
—Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
But the full extent of the find to date, and what’s being done about the artifacts, is all but impossible to publicly ascertain even as construction cranes have been erected on the site and cement mixers pour concrete for a high-end high-rise condo.
—Andres Viglucci
july 4, Miami Herald, 4 July 2025
There’ve also been a few studies that rely on carbon dating to ascertain the age of neurons, which find young cells in adults.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascertain
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Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
In addition, nudging techniques need to be selected prudently, and tested empirically to ascertain what works in practice, and what does not.
—Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
But the full extent of the find to date, and what’s being done about the artifacts, is all but impossible to publicly ascertain even as construction cranes have been erected on the site and cement mixers pour concrete for a high-end high-rise condo.
—Andres Viglucci
july 4, Miami Herald, 4 July 2025
There’ve also been a few studies that rely on carbon dating to ascertain the age of neurons, which find young cells in adults.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascertain
Cite this Entry
“Ascertain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascertain. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ascertain
verb
as·cer·tain
ˌas-ər-ˈtān
: to learn with certainty : find out
could not ascertain the correct date
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