Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confirm contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confirm are authenticate, corroborate, substantiate, validate, and verify. While all these words 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

When is authenticate a more appropriate choice than confirm?

While the synonyms authenticate and confirm are close in meaning, authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When is it sensible to use corroborate instead of confirm?

While in some cases nearly identical to confirm, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

When could substantiate be used to replace confirm?

The synonyms substantiate and confirm are sometimes interchangeable, but substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

In what contexts can validate take the place of confirm?

The meanings of validate and confirm largely overlap; however, validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When would verify be a good substitute for confirm?

In some situations, the words verify and confirm are roughly equivalent. However, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confirm The case was brought by conservative Christian employers in Texas and challenges the legal authority of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, arguing that its members are unconstitutionally appointed because they are not confirmed by the Senate. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025 One of Williams’ best attributes — confirmed by Holmes — is his instincts. Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 But in the summer of 2023, Harry went on the Call Her Daddy podcast and seemingly confirmed their split by claiming his last girlfriend cheated on him. Joelle Goldstein, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Production on new episodes began in January, with Elordi, Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney among the other cast members confirmed to return. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confirm
Verb
  • The system can also verify that the individual presenting the document is both physically present and matches the ID photo, all completed remotely in minutes.
    Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The usefulness of those rankings could require months or years to verify, and the AI co-scientist, which is still being evaluated by human scientists, is for now limited to biomedical research.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In February, the Trump administration had pressed Zelenskyy to sign an agreement that gave Ukraine very little and would have used profits to recoup aid the U.S. has already approved for the country.
    Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025
  • His approval has slipped across men, women, and every racial and age group measured, with particularly low support among Black Americans, only 14 percent of whom approve of his performance.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Mills argued the clause blocks the lawsuit because the Federal Tort Claims Act directs federal judges to interpret the merits of this type of case based on state law.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
  • South Korea’s Unification Ministry on Monday called on North Korea to withdraw its troops from Russia immediately, arguing that the North’s support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses a grave provocation to international security.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The amendment was ratified in 1951, in the wake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s four terms in office.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • But the invasion would be reserved, not ratified, as Trump and Vance and Putin are seeking.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The list of 20 stations set to receive new fare gates from the four firms has not yet been finalized.
    Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
  • The Rams are expected to finalize the signing of undrafted free agents by Monday.
    Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In effect, New York claimed the right to dictate energy policy for all of New England, whether the citizens who actually reside in that region accepted and agreed with New York’s energy policies, or not.
    Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • At what cost? The United States already has this type of agreement with the government of El Salvador, which notably has been accepting Venezuelan nationals and housing them in the country's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT.
    Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confirm. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

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