affirming

verb

Definition of affirmingnext
present participle of affirm
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

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 affirming In 2025, McDonald’s DAR chapter in Mount Pleasant obtained a legal memorandum from the Center for American Liberty affirming the DAR’s right under the First Amendment to prohibit transgender members. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026 Executives overwhelmingly prioritize emotional intelligence, work ethic, and problem-solving for hiring and leadership, with 90% affirming their importance. — Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Though marvelously affirming for film fans, this is not a sustainable business plan. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 Watching her grow, while being raised by these caring and quirky individuals, feels life affirming. — Monitor Reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 23 July 2026 The framing echoes allegations by the Department of Justice that gender-affirming care providers collude with drugmakers, as Autonomy News reporter Garnet Henderson pointed out. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 21 July 2026 Due to the show’s popularity, the line between fiction and reality has blurred for its young cast, and not always in such affirming ways. — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026 Children’s said that the plaintiffs were attempting to force it to stop granting admitting privileges to physicians who refused to offer gender-affirming care, which would ultimately harm patients. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 15 July 2026 Unlike most humans, AI systems can be endlessly engaging, infinitely patient, and relentlessly affirming. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affirming
  1. insisting
  2. declaring
  3. alleging
  4. asserting
  5. claiming
  6. proclaiming
  7. maintaining
  8. announcing
Verb
  • But by insisting to stay in office for the remainder of his term, Edwards could extend the scrutiny over his behavior.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Sources say Newcastle are now privately insisting the 21-year-old will not leave.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of insisting
Verb
  • Montse declaring herself the daughter of God, and that the words her daughters sing are dictated to her by God and part of her mission to save humanity via music.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • The Tates’ triumphant return to Miami functioned as something of a litmus test for conservative personalities, with some declaring that their brand of masculinity had no place in the party.
    — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026
Definition of declaring
Verb
  • The family of a 23-year-old man killed in a wrong-way crash is suing the Florida Department of Transportation, alleging that detection software designed to prevent such incidents failed on the night of the tragedy.
    — Steve Maugeri, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • But let’s circle back to the dramatic ending of last week’s Rocky Horror party, when Georgia told Emira about the transphobic comment Charlie had made (alleging that her boyfriend was actually gay).
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of alleging
Verb
  • There’s another comparison between Homer and the Bible that demonstrates parallels between Jesus and Odysseus while asserting Jesus’ superiority,MacDonald says.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Anthropic’s guardrail was a sentence in a prompt asserting the internet was not there.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of asserting
Verb
  • For the first time in history, country songs are claiming all five of the top five slots on the Hot 100.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Slovenian rider’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG team announced its lineup for the three-week race on Monday, confirming Pogačar will take part after claiming a record-equaling fifth Tour de France crown last month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of claiming
Verb
  • Her son Spencer, 5, could be heard proclaiming his hunger in the back of the video and is seen grabbing a few slices of Parmesan cheese prepped for the salad.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • Carlson, who had just released a documentary called The End of Men, devoted hours of airtime to proclaiming Tate’s innocence; so did the right-wing podcaster Candace Owens.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of proclaiming
Verb
  • The more pragmatic camp argues that maintaining unity during the war requires addressing the public's unhappiness over the economy as well as political and social repression.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Workers who did this reported spending an average of almost five hours a week maintaining the appearance of productivity.
    — Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of maintaining
Verb
  • Ahead of the 2026 football season, AJC Varsity is announcing our preseason all-state teams.
    — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness were married for 27 years before announcing their separation in September 2023 and finalizing their divorce in June 2025.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 31 July 2026
Definition of announcing

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Cite this Entry

“Affirming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affirming. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on affirming

Nglish: Translation of affirming for Spanish Speakers

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