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 There was a real desire and so much energy spent on featuring, uplifting and authenticating this genre of music by having the real music makers from this genre create [the music]. Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2025 Watch brands such as Vacheron Constantin and Breitling have relied on blockchain to authenticate their timepieces since 2019, hailing the technology as forgery-proof and incorruptible. India Brown, Robb Report, 1 July 2025 The project aims to authenticate the identity of humans with its Orb device and prevent the fraudulent abuse of artificial intelligence systems like deep fakes. Ryan Browne, CNBC, 8 June 2025 The bottle itself has been authenticated by David Maister. Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for authenticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authenticate
Verb
  • Schermerhorn became certified through the Sound Healing Academy in the Bronx, New York.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Space Force officials formally certified the Vulcan rocket for national security launches in March, setting the stage for Tuesday's launch of the USSF-106 mission.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Despite failing to verify her identity, Bardisa was reportedly offered a promotion in January 2025.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • The letter would also have to verify that the data center wouldn’t cause electrical interference or fluctuations in line voltage, according to the ordinance.
    Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Adopting such tactics won’t guarantee success or unity.
    Time, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The program has a long track record of success, and with no future reauthorization guaranteed, certainty may run out.
    Jill Jones, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate has dropped out of the 2026 race for the U.S. Senate, a spokesperson confirmed Friday, Aug. 8.
    Paul Egan, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • Requests to the city to confirm the number were not returned by deadline.
    Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • During an event in the Oval Office Wednesday with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Trump affirmed the 50% tariff number, not giving a specific answer as to whether additional tariffs on India would be dropped if there were a deal between Russia and Ukraine.
    Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Former President Joe Biden affirmed the longstanding practice of including the total number of persons residing in the states in those tallies with a 2021 executive order, which Trump revoked on the first day of his second term.
    Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Not only that, as CEI’s work on agency guidance documents, policy statements memoranda and other forms of regulatory dark matter attests, conventional notice-and-comment regulation increasingly comes nowhere close to capturing government intervention in the economy.
    Clyde Wayne Crews Jr, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Golf is an incredibly difficult game, as any avid golfer can attest, so anything that gives you an edge is worthy of investment.
    Ryan Waniata, Wired News, 7 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Authenticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authenticate. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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