substantiate

verb

sub·​stan·​ti·​ate səb-ˈstan(t)-shē-ˌāt 

substantiated; substantiating

transitive verb

1

: to give substance or form to : embody

2

: to establish by proof or competent evidence : verify

substantiate a charge

substantiation

səb-ˌstan(t)-shē-ˈā-shən 

noun

substantiative

səb-ˈstan(t)-shē-ˌā-tiv 

adjective

Synonyms of substantiate

• prove
• establish
• demonstrate

Choose the Right Synonym for substantiate

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 substantiate in a Sentence

substantiated his claim to local mountaineering fame with a photo of himself on the summit of Mount McKinley

Mr. MacGregor couldn't substantiate that it was Peter, and not some other rabbit, in the cabbage patch.

Recent Examples on the Web

The suit does not detail what the plaintiffs learned that substantiated that claim. —Dan Mangan,hugh Son, CNBC, 22 Jan. 2026

Allegation 2c – that administrators did not implement measures to protect [redacted] from further harm or retaliation following the May incident – was substantiated. —Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026

In the course of over a dozen hearings before a federal judge, the allegations were examined but never substantiated. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026

While dramatic, the account remains unverified, and no independent confirmation has emerged to substantiate the claims. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for substantiate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

substantiate

verb

sub·​stan·​ti·​ate səb-ˈstan-chē-ˌāt 

substantiated; substantiating

1

: to give substance or form to : embody

2

: to establish by proof or evidence

substantiate a claim

substantiation

-ˌstan-chē-ˈā-shən 

noun