attest

verb

at·test | \ ə-ˈtest

attested; attesting; attests

Definition of attest

transitive verb

1a : to affirm to be true or genuine specifically : to authenticate by signing as a witness

b : to authenticate officially

2 : to establish or verify the usage of The first use of the word "Internet" is attested in 1985.

3 : to be proof of : manifest Her record attests her integrity.

4 : to put on oath

intransitive verb

: to show, prove, or state that something is true or real —usually used with to I can attest to the truth of his statement.attest to a belief

Other Words from attest Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about attest

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Choose the Right Synonym for attest

certify, attest, witness, vouch mean to testify to the truth or genuineness of something. certify usually applies to a written statement, especially one carrying a signature or seal. certified that the candidate had met all requirements attest applies to oral or written testimony usually from experts or witnesses. attested to the authenticity of the document witness applies to the subscribing of one's own name to a document as evidence of its genuineness. witnessed the signing of the will vouch applies to one who testifies as a competent authority or a reliable person. willing to vouch for her integrity

Examples of attest in a Sentence

I can attest that what he has said is true. The certificate attests the authenticity of the painting.

Recent Examples on the Web

The list was unquestionably impressive in variety and dramatic range, as fellow completists can attest, especially as brought to life by Mr. Gardiner. — James R. Oestreich, New York Times, "What Does It Mean to Play the ‘Best’ of Bach?," 22 June 2018 As the following war stories attest, through the years, each of these scrappy studios struggled to take the inside line from their fellow developers. — Steven T. Wright, Ars Technica, "Life in (virtual) pit lane: The war stories of video game car design," 28 Apr. 2018 But many of the people writing the recommendations may not know that there are particular phrases admissions officers are looking for, as opposed to simply attesting to a students’ good citizenship and hard work. — Amy Harmon, New York Times, "College Admission Is Not a Personality Contest. Or Is It?," 15 June 2018 Removing language proposed by administration that would allow senior level employees to attest to working 80 hours in two weeks rather than fill out a timesheet. — Karen Farkas, cleveland.com, "Cuyahoga County Council supports paying overtime to salaried workers - but with significant restrictions," 20 Mar. 2018 In order to start a business, a woman must get two men to attest to her character to receive a loan or license. — Casey Quackenbush, Fortune, "Here's What Happened When Saudi Arabia Announced 140 New Jobs for Women," 2 Feb. 2018 Historical accounts from the 18th century attest that the Upper Tapajós Basin was once densely populated with large villages connected by roads. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Satellite Images Reveal 81 Pre-Hispanic Settlements in the Amazon," 2 Apr. 2018 But his offense is decidedly less effective when defenses have time to prepare, as Leach's 1-4 record in his last five bowl appearances attests. — Ken Goe, OregonLive.com, "Ranking Pac-12 football coaches, from Chris Petersen (best) to Herm Edwards (say what?)," 26 Jan. 2018 Still, as the Hadid sisters can attest, nothing is chicer than the real thing. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Would You Join the Bella and Gigi Hadid Book Club?," 18 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'attest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.