Synonym Chooser

How is the word affirm distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of affirm are assert, avow, declare, and protest. While all these words mean "to state positively usually in anticipation of denial or objection," affirm implies conviction based on evidence, experience, or faith.

affirmed the existence of an afterlife

When would assert be a good substitute for affirm?

While in some cases nearly identical to affirm, assert implies stating confidently without need for proof or regard for evidence.

asserted that modern music is just noise

When might avow be a better fit than affirm?

Although the words avow and affirm have much in common, avow stresses frank declaration and acknowledgment of personal responsibility for what is declared.

avowed that all investors would be repaid in full

When can declare be used instead of affirm?

While the synonyms declare and affirm are close in meaning, declare stresses open or public statement.

declared her support for the candidate

When is it sensible to use protest instead of affirm?

The words protest and affirm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, protest emphasizes affirming in the face of denial or doubt.

protested that he really had been misquoted

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 affirm Advertisement Gender-affirming care for transgender people, including minors, is supported by every major medical association in the country. Solcyré Burga, Time, 10 Sep. 2025 Her recent appointment as Creative Director of Proenza Schouler marks a groundbreaking moment in Black fashion, affirming her place as a visionary shaping the future of the industry. Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 10 Sep. 2025 For example, in Indigenous communities, the language may not focus on prevention as much as affirming and promoting life, Steib said. Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Minnesota’s Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson condemned the deception and affirmed how troubling the ambush was. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for affirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affirm
Verb
  • Google, of course, insists the AI Overviews arrangement benefits everyone.
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Caracas insists the buildup is part of a broader campaign directed at undermining President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Last week, Reuters reported that Pulte’s own father and stepmother had declared two homes in two different states as their primary residence, prompting a town in Michigan to remove a tax exemption for their home there and charge the couple for back taxes.
    Chris Prentice, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The highest levels of malnutrition since the war began were reported this summer, and its largest city has been officially declared under famine by a panel of food-security experts.
    Pablo Robles, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • American officials have alleged that North Korea is engaged in a long-running effort to use cyberattacks, cryptocurrency theft and IT contractors to gather information on behalf of the government in Pyongyang.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Cox was also asked about a Sunday New York Times report that alleged Robinson had communicated with others on Discord after the shooting.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Children want to change, as Adam Phillips asserts, but adults want to stay the same.
    Rachel Kushner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Limit your interaction with them when possible and assert your boundaries firmly.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In Budapest, after the uprising against the Communist regime, Andor — raised by his mother with idealized tales of his dead father — has his world turned upside down when a brutish man appears, claiming to be his true father.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Roughly $140,000 is claimed to have been spent on this car’s restoration by the consignor prior to its 2019 sale.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These anchovies, Chris proclaimed, would be delicious simply turned out on a piece of toast.
    Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Sep. 2025
  • For that matter, so is the beach around it, with signs proclaiming it private property.
    A.K. Whitney, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This means regularly assessing your thinking skills, consciously choosing when to engage versus delegate mental tasks, and maintaining practices that keep your mind sharp.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • When asked about the changing landscape of college athletics, Calipari said more regulations need to be put in place, including tougher restrictions on transfers and years that players are able to maintain eligibility.
    Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In the interview with the Justice Department official, Maxwell continued to profess her innocence.
    John Parkinson, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The two consistently profess their neutrality on the war – while at the same time fueling it by providing financial lifelines to Russia.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affirm. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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