1
as in insisting
to state as a fact usually forcefully
unwilling to affirm without further study that the painting is an original Rembrandt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declaring
to state clearly and strongly
our business partner affirmed his trust in us, and we in turn promised not to let him down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affirming
Drummond’s office defended the state law in court but also signed an agreement with the ACLU allowing transgender youth to continue to have access to gender-affirming care while the lawsuit was ongoing.
—
The Frontier, 7 May 2026
Some lawmakers also want legislation that could push back on Selig’s offensive by affirming states’ authority to rein in the platforms.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
In recent years, the Legislature has also passed bills barring trans women and girls from participating in sports that align with their gender identity and restricting gender-affirming care for minors.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 30 Apr. 2026
While chatbots often take on an affirming tone with users, several of the lawsuits point to a controversial model called GPT‑4o that was known for being especially sycophantic.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
The commission forwarded six recommendations to the council last year, including acknowledging anti-MAPA discrimination, affirming free speech and developing anti-bias training in coordination with UC Davis and the Davis Joint Unified School District.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In 2019, the Board of Governors adopted a systemwide Statement of Free Expression affirming that universities have a critical role in fostering divergent ideas and robust debate.
—Jason Jewell, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The Cascios spent decades defending and affirming Michael’s innocence.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
For a dully cynical take on the OnlyFans economy, there’s Euphoria, but for a more affirming consideration, Margo is well worth the subscription.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
The Frontier, 7 May 2026
Some lawmakers also want legislation that could push back on Selig’s offensive by affirming states’ authority to rein in the platforms.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026
In recent years, the Legislature has also passed bills barring trans women and girls from participating in sports that align with their gender identity and restricting gender-affirming care for minors.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 30 Apr. 2026
While chatbots often take on an affirming tone with users, several of the lawsuits point to a controversial model called GPT‑4o that was known for being especially sycophantic.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
The commission forwarded six recommendations to the council last year, including acknowledging anti-MAPA discrimination, affirming free speech and developing anti-bias training in coordination with UC Davis and the Davis Joint Unified School District.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In 2019, the Board of Governors adopted a systemwide Statement of Free Expression affirming that universities have a critical role in fostering divergent ideas and robust debate.
—Jason Jewell, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
The Cascios spent decades defending and affirming Michael’s innocence.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
For a dully cynical take on the OnlyFans economy, there’s Euphoria, but for a more affirming consideration, Margo is well worth the subscription.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affirming
Verb
-
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated Wednesday that Moscow’s fundamental terms are unchanged, with Putin insisting that Ukraine pull its troops from the four regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia — that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but hasn’t fully captured.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Then there are those who, as a rule, never touch the glands, insisting that the risks outweigh the benefits.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Wright has been a champion of LeBron's accomplishments for quite some time, declaring James the GOAT over Michael Jordan nearly a decade earlier, after the former's improbable Finals win over the Golden State Warriors.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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The network noted that The View had obtained a ruling from the FCC in 2002, declaring that the show was exempt from the equal time rule.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Musk filed suit in 2024, alleging breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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The flurry of headlines about what was left out of the film—most obviously, the 1993 lawsuit that accused Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old, and subsequent lawsuits alleging similar abuse—also haven’t mattered.—
Jemele Hill,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The law allows a President to exclude personal records, sets out timetables for releasing documents once the President has left office, and provides a mechanism for asserting executive privilege to keep certain material secret.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Jokic stuck up for Adelman after the season-ending loss, asserting that the outcome wasn’t his fault.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Right-wing figures claiming to have been barred include Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, anti-Islam commentator Valentina Gomez and Dutch activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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The Steelers won four of their final five games, claiming the AFC North title with a thrilling Week 18 victory over the Ravens; Rodgers played many of his best games when the team needed them most.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Again, the show is insistent on proclaiming Val’s greatness without putting in the work.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
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Which is to say that its power as a mode of redress in the first sense—as agent for proclaiming and correcting injustices—is being appealed to constantly.—
Nick Laird,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Griswold's office is responsible for supervising Colorado's elections and maintaining the statewide file of voter registrations.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
-
Kudos to the Exhale staff for maintaining the pristine atmosphere there.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bulletin announcing the arrest of 33-year-old Brandon Tyrell Simmons in connection with a deadly stabbing in Palmdale.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
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His visits this year have been jam-packed with news, from announcing the capture of Venezuela's then-president Nicolás Maduro and strikes on Iran.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affirming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affirming. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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