certification

noun

cer·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌsər-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

1

: the act of certifying : the state of being certified

2

: a certified statement

Synonyms

• certificate

Examples of certification in a Sentence

the certification of the vote

She had to wait until her certification as a nurse before she could start her new job.

The certifications of nine teachers were revoked.

The school offers scuba diving certification.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many clean fashion brands cite certifications to add weight to their clean messaging and (absent a single definition) provide internal guardrails for what clean means. —Sophie Benson, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025

The school allows adults 18 to 50 years old to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and certification in one of at least 10 career and technical programs. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025

The County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a public hearing on November 18 to consider approval of the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project and certification of its Final Environmental Impact Report. —Chaewon Chung updated October 30, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025

Federal standards require rigorous inspections to be done prior to demolition, and those inspections are then documented with a certification. —Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing certification

• certification mark

Rhymes for certification

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Medical Definition

certification

noun

cer·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌsərt-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

: the act of certifying : the state of being certified

psychiatrists with subspecialty board certification in geriatrics

—Gary Kennedy

Legal Definition

certification

noun

cer·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌsər-ti-fi-ˈkā-shən 

1

a

: the act of certifying

b

: the state of being certified see also certiorari

Note: Certification of an interlocutory decision by a trial court allows an appellate court to review the decision and to answer a controlling question of law. Certification is often used in state courts as well as federal courts and, where available, allows a federal court to refer a question of state law to the state's highest court. Certification is also used to refer to a judge's order that allows a suit to be maintained as a class action.

2

: a certified statement