corroborate

verb

cor·​rob·​o·​rate kə-ˈrä-bə-ˌrāt 

corroborated; corroborating

transitive verb

: to support with evidence or authority : make more certain

corroboration

kə-ˌrä-bə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

corroborative

kə-ˈrä-bə-ˌrā-tiv 

-ˈrä-b(ə-)rə-

adjective

corroborator

kə-ˈrä-bə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

corroboratory

kə-ˈrä-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Synonyms

• argue
• attest
• authenticate
• bear out
• certify
• confirm
• substantiate
• support
• validate
• verify
• vindicate

Choose the Right Synonym for corroborate

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

Examples of corroborate in a Sentence

Studies that are wrong will be superseded by better studies with different results. Studies that are right will be corroborated by other good studies. —Harriet Hall, Skeptic, 2007

Evidence like this is rarely conclusive, but it can help police corroborate testimony … —David Fisher, Hard Evidence, 1995

… the great Dr. Woodruff … corroborated my doctor's belief that my two infections had been resolved … —James Thurber 7 Mar. 1946, in Selected Letters Of James Thurber,  (1980) 1981

the witnesses corroborated the policeman's testimony

my personal experience does not corroborate your faith in the essential goodness of people

Recent Examples on the Web

Some showed The Post emails, texts and other documents corroborating their accounts. —Aaron C. Davis and Carol D. Leonnig The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 3 Aug. 2024

Our reporters and contributors — including journalists from Gaza — talk to residents, doctors and aid workers by phone and text message, corroborating their accounts through multiple sources, visual forensics and other tools. —Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 19 July 2024

The spokesperson did not provide documentation to corroborate such high usage. —Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2024

Authorities determined he was not involved in the plot but knew of many details and corroborated crucial information of the main suspect’s confession. —Maddie Garfinkle, Peoplemag, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin corroboratus, past participle of corroborare, from com- + robor-, robur strength

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

corroborate

verb

cor·​rob·​o·​rate kə-ˈräb-ə-ˌrāt 

corroborated; corroborating

: to support with evidence or authority

corroborated my brother's story

corroboration

-ˌräb-ə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

corroborative

-ˈräb-ə-ˌrāt-iv 

-ˈräb-(ə-)rət-iv

adjective

corroborator

-ˈräb-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

noun

corroboratory

-ˈräb-(ə-)-rə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective

Legal Definition

corroborate

transitive verb

cor·​rob·​o·​rate kə-ˈrä-bə-ˌrāt 

corroborated; corroborating

: to support with evidence or authority : strengthen or make more certain

corroboration

kə-ˌrä-bə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

corroborative

kə-ˈrä-bə-ˌrā-tiv, -rə-tiv 

adjective

Etymology

Latin corroboratus, past participle of corroborare to strengthen, from com-, prefix marking completion + robur strength, literally, oak tree