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as in to guarantee
to declare (something) to be true or genuine experts certified the letter as indeed having been written by Abraham Lincoln

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb certify contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of certify are attest, vouch, and witness. While all these words mean "to testify to the truth or genuineness of something," certify usually applies to a written statement, especially one carrying a signature or seal.

certified that the candidate had met all requirements

When would attest be a good substitute for certify?

The meanings of attest and certify largely overlap; however, attest applies to oral or written testimony usually from experts or witnesses.

attested to the authenticity of the document

In what contexts can vouch take the place of certify?

In some situations, the words vouch and certify are roughly equivalent. However, vouch applies to one who testifies as a competent authority or a reliable person.

willing to vouch for her integrity

When could witness be used to replace certify?

Although the words witness and certify have much in common, witness applies to the subscribing of one's own name to a document as evidence of its genuineness.

witnessed the signing of the will

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 certify Both Everlywell and fellow DTC brand Thorne note that the laboratories used to test their samples are certified through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), which falls under the regulation of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Sara Braun, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025 Nearly every element—from the insulating fill to the lining and sleek outer shell—is Bluesign certified, PFAS-free and re-engineered for recovery. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025 On Tuesday, after the state certified Grijalva's election results, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes threatened legal action to try to force the oath of office. Claudia Grisales, NPR, 16 Oct. 2025 Released during the commercial heyday of heavy metal, the album was certified gold and relaunched Frehley’s career, although tours with Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper ended early, reportedly over money issues; also, his sobriety did not last. Jem Aswad, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for certify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for certify
Verb
  • Mint Hill to see new mayor Mint Hill is guaranteed new leadership after this election.
    Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Implementing them would bring Cambodia’s practice in line with its own Constitution, which guarantees workers the right to form and join trade unions of their choosing, and its commitments under ILO Conventions 87 and 98, bolstering its reputation as a responsible sourcing country.
    Sourcing Journal, Sourcing Journal, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Beyond medical uses The team also equipped the robot with a tiny camera, enabling it to inspect hard-to-reach spots inside the jet engine model.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Many of them had easy access to government offices that enabled them to obtain genuine Syrian passports with fake names, according to former employees and regime figures.
    Danny Makki, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Christiaan Triebert is a Times reporter working on the Visual Investigations team, a group that combines traditional reporting with digital sleuthing and analysis of visual evidence to verify and source facts from around the world.
    Danny Makki, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The couple has publicly refuted those claims, affirming the authenticity of their partnership.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Krenwinkel’s challenge to that reversal was denied by the Los Angeles County Superior Court in January 2024, and the ruling was later affirmed on appeal.
    Stepheny Price , Melissa Chrise, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • You are not legally authorized to possess any native wild birds or mammals.
    Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The grand jury ultimately voted to indict Comey on two of three charges sought by Halligan related to Comey's 2020 congressional testimony regarding the FBI's Russia probe and whether Comey authorized leaks of anonymous information to the media.
    Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But local journalists confirmed the video was of agents detaining a protester.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • United later confirmed the pilot sustained only minor injuries.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Kris Jenner can attest that her plastic surgeon does not operate on just anyone.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
  • PCMag cannot attest to the success rate of people who complete a Nanodegree and subsequently receive a job offer or promotion.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Another measure is meant to empower communities to redevelop vacant properties into housing, creating an opt-in tax incentive to incentivize redevelopment of vacant or abandoned one-to-four family homes for use as affordable homeownership or rental housing.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Through his music, Carrillo transforms personal anguish into empowering anthems, elevating moments of silence into rich, melodic soundscapes and celebrating the beauty of struggle itself.
    Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Certify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/certify. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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