confirm

play

verb con·firm \kən-ˈfərm\

Definition of confirm

transitive verb
1 : to give approval to : ratify confirm a treaty
2 : to make firm or firmer : strengthen confirm one's resolve
3 : to administer the rite of confirmation to
4 : to give new assurance of the validity of : remove doubt about by authoritative act or indisputable fact confirm a rumor confirm an order

confirmability

play \kən-ˌfər-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

confirmable

play \kən-ˈfər-mə-bəl\ adjective

See confirm defined for English-language learners

See confirm defined for kids

Examples of confirm in a Sentence

The tests confirmed the doctors' suspicions of cancer.
The attack confirmed her worst fears about the neighborhood.
The award confirmed her status as one of the great movie actresses.
The dentist's office called to confirm your appointment for tomorrow.
We have a reservation for you for tomorrow night. Please call to confirm.

Recent Examples of confirm from the Web

Records seem to indicate a duplicate donation on the same day, though Carr said Weissmann could confirm only one and would have to review records to assess whether the other might have been a recording error.

— matt zapotosky, Washington Post, "Here are the people investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election", 5 July 2017
Despite such fervent efforts to unlock the mystery of Earhart’s fate, no confirmed trace of the pilot, Noonan, or their Lockheed Electra plane have ever been found.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Smithsonian Curator Weighs In on Photo That Allegedly Shows Amelia Earhart in Japanese Captivity", 5 July 2017
With North Korea’s launch on Tuesday of what the administration confirmed was an intercontinental ballistic missile, the country has new reach.

— david e. sanger, New York Times, "What Can Trump Do About North Korea? His Options Are Few and Risky", 4 July 2017
Updating two trends with 2015-2016 data also confirms that the overall patterns of demographic and cultural change are continuing.

— robert p. jones, The Atlantic, "Trump Can't Reverse the Decline of White Christian America", 4 July 2017
Indeed, even witty and sophisticated Americans are happy to confirm this . .

— charles c. w. cooke, National Review, "My American Dream", 4 July 2017
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, a 64-year-old Leawood Republican, confirmed his interest in the race to The Star in a recent interview.

— hunter woodall, kansascity, "Kansas insurance commissioner is the latest considering run for governor", 3 July 2017
Another high-ranking law enforcement source confirmed that police believed the body to be Cunanan's.

— by frances robles, john lantigua and martin merzer, miamiherald, "How the search for Versace’s killer came to a shocking end on a houseboat", 2 July 2017
As of right now, neither parent (or anyone from the family at all) has confirmed what the twins' names actually are yet.

— harper's bazaar staff, Harper's BAZAAR, "Beyoncé's Twins' Names Are Revealed", 30 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of confirm

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunfermer, from Latin confirmare, from com- + firmare to make firm, from firmus firm

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First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of confirm

confirm, corroborate, substantiate, verify, authenticate, validate mean to attest to the truth or validity of something. confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact. confirmed the reports corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established. witnesses corroborated his story substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention. the claims have yet to be substantiated 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 authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion. handwriting experts authenticated the diaries validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof. validated the hypothesis by experiments

CONFIRM Defined for English Language Learners

confirm

play

verb

Definition of confirm for English Language Learners

: to state or show that (something) is true or correct
: to tell someone that something has definitely happened or is going to happen : to make (something) definite or official
: to make (something) stronger or more certain : to cause (someone) to believe (something) more strongly

CONFIRM Defined for Kids

confirm

play

verb con·firm \kən-ˈfərm\

Definition of confirm for Students

confirmed

;

confirming

1 : to make sure of the truth of Their arrest confirms my suspicion.
2 : to make firm or firmer (as in a habit, in faith, or in intention) : strengthen The job at the shelter confirmed her intention to become a veterinarian.
3 : approve 2, accept Senators confirmed the treaty.
4 : to perform a ceremony admitting a person into a church or synagogue

Law Dictionary

confirm

transitive verb con·firm

Legal Definition of confirm

1a : to make valid by necessary formal approval the debtor's chapter 13 plan confirmed by the court b : to vote approval of confirm a nomination
2 : to give formal acknowledgment of receipt of
3 : to remove doubt about by authoritative act or indisputable fact a consent decree confirming Capt. Brown's right to his cargo — W. G. Young