Definition of validatenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb validate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of validate are authenticate, confirm, corroborate, substantiate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When might authenticate be a better fit than validate?

Although the words authenticate and validate have much in common, authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

In what contexts can confirm take the place of validate?

While the synonyms confirm and validate are close in meaning, confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

When would corroborate be a good substitute for validate?

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

witnesses corroborated his story

Where would substantiate be a reasonable alternative to validate?

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

the claims have yet to be substantiated

When is verify a more appropriate choice than validate?

The meanings of verify and validate largely overlap; 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 validate Participants who received validating AI responses were measurably less likely to apologize, admit fault, or seek to repair their relationships. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026 The mission will launch from the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying astronauts inside the Orion spacecraft on a test flight designed to validate systems required for future landings, according to NASA. Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026 Comments validating their efforts come in frequently. Scot Paltrow, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026 Divers or camera systems then provide higher-confidence identification or confirmation to validate the result. John Femiani, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for validate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for validate
Verb
  • An administrative review is underway to assess the mission and verify compliance with regulations and airspace requirements.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Earlier Monday, the CBS News Confirmed team verified images from the attack that left 10 service members wounded last week.
    Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Your generous heart shines brighter when your schedule reflects your soul rather than proving yourself at any cost.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
  • As so many of his peers have run from that reality, Self is embracing the challenge, with precisely nothing left to prove.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Licata officially appointed as FWISD’s acting superintendent The Board of Managers unanimously voted to confirm Licata as the school district’s superintendent.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Perry's representative confirmed to USA TODAY on Tuesday that the workers were eventually allowed to hold onto the gift cards after confusion was cleared up.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Products used in the NICU help win hospital contracts, and hospital contracts help establish brand loyalty, according to court records.
    David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
  • With the names of the two Kansas Cities firmly established over time, complaints about their dullness or geographical inaccuracy were largely confined to letters to the editor.
    Elijah Winkler, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The idea behind this is to invoke the double-slit experiment, which demonstrates how light behaves as both a particle and a wave, depending on how it is observed.
    David Szondy March 28, New Atlas, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson has demonstrated — across decades of team research — that psychological safety is the single strongest predictor of team performance.
    Charles Edward Gehrke, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Validate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/validate. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on validate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster