Synonym Chooser

How does the verb authenticate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of authenticate are confirm, corroborate, substantiate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When might confirm be a better fit than authenticate?

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

confirmed the reports

Where would corroborate be a reasonable alternative to authenticate?

The words corroborate and authenticate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

In what contexts can substantiate take the place of authenticate?

The words substantiate and authenticate can be used in similar contexts, but substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

When is it sensible to use validate instead of authenticate?

While in some cases nearly identical to authenticate, validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When can verify be used instead of authenticate?

Although the words verify and authenticate have much in common, 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 authenticate The guitar’s serial number is not known, but there is a unique tell that will allow it to be authenticated, according to Agnesi; the inlay on its 12th fret is solid, not split like the others on the neck, which was standard for the ES-345 at the time. Gary Graff, Billboard, 3 June 2025 Speed, Convenience and Efficiency: The ability to get immediate support without having to call a company, wait on hold, be authenticated, etc., is enough to get customers using AI. Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 This authenticates the yarn from fiber to fabric, all the way through to the finished product. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 27 May 2025 The 2015 ball was authenticated right after that called third strike. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for authenticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authenticate
Verb
  • The case changed legal precedent and was the inspiration for two new state laws, one of which requires judges to certify a verdict immediately.
    Kirsten Fiscus, The Tennessean, 6 July 2025
  • They are certified to national wildland firefighting standards.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • For all July 4 plans involving alcohol, plan ahead and verify specific store hours or delivery options directly with retailers.
    Kate Nalepinski, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
  • And states, which administer Medicaid, would have to set up systems to verify a person's employment or exemption status.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • That’s when the 26-year-old’s $7.7 million salary for the 2025-26 season was supposed to be fully guaranteed.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025
  • The contract is not fully guaranteed; however, Wilson — the Nets’ second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft — is a rotation player and considered part of the team’s future as its rebuild continues.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • His death at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles was confirmed by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on June 24, but authorities have not disclosed the cause.
    Scott MacFarlane July 6, CBS News, 6 July 2025
  • Jones provided those services to the youth mentoring group for its annual conferences between 2019 and 2024 under a different audiovisual company, American Electronic Entertainment, aka, AEE Productions, 100 Black Men of America confirmed.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • The resolution, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, aimed to affirm that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran.
    Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
  • Since January 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has tracked nearly 600 anti-LGBTQ state legislative bills across the United States targeting transgender youth, restricting access to affirming services and limiting public expression of LGBTQ+ identities.
    Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • One shopper even attests to fitting up to seven days’ worth of clothes inside.
    Erin Cavoto, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2025
  • Even so, notary public Jessie Ruth Graham attested to a weight of 1,780 pounds, a girth of 103 inches, and a length of 13 feet 10.5 inches.
    Donald Millus, Outdoor Life, 3 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Authenticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authenticate. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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