Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confirm contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confirm are authenticate, corroborate, substantiate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

When is authenticate a more appropriate choice than confirm?

While the synonyms authenticate and confirm are close in meaning, authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When is it sensible to use corroborate instead of confirm?

While in some cases nearly identical to confirm, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

When could substantiate be used to replace confirm?

The synonyms substantiate and confirm are sometimes interchangeable, but substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

In what contexts can validate take the place of confirm?

The meanings of validate and confirm largely overlap; however, validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When would verify be a good substitute for confirm?

In some situations, the words verify and confirm are roughly equivalent. However, 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 confirm But only a handful of his nominees have been confirmed by the Senate because of resistance from Democrats. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025 The Turkish Athletics Federation did not respond to an email from The Athletic to confirm this fee. Liam Tharme, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 Riddley confirmed that development only got underway recently which explains why the park still has a wide opening window. Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 The next step will be securing funding for larger studies to confirm these findings and assess whether the system can be rolled out across the NHS. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confirm
Verb
  • The news organizations verified the data, including by soliciting input from professors at universities in Texas.
    ProPublica, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025
  • At one point during the hearing, the Health secretary claimed that Black boys who receive the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine have a higher risk of autism, which has never been verified by scientists.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This year, around 1,200 amendments were filed by House lawmakers, and only 298 were approved to make it to the floor.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
  • In May, council approved a settlement agreement with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings worth more than $305,000 during a private meeting.
    Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The plaintiffs argued the displacement was motivated by a desire to limit readers' access to books with viewpoints that are unpopular and controversial in the area.
    Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • But there are Republicans who argue that the changes to Medicaid strengthen the program for the most vulnerable.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • By the end of the novel, that opening line has been both called into question and ratified.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Drivers and budtenders at Ascend Cannabis Provisions in Grand Rapids ratified their first contract with Teamsters Local 406 two years ago.
    Adrienne Roberts, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • That plan has not yet been finalized or made public.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The City Council would have to approve the new rules and regulations at a later date after the proposal is finalized.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For the high court to accept a petition to hear full arguments, four of the nine justices must vote to grant certiorari.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
  • On Wednesday night, the president asked the Supreme Court to quickly accept and rule on an appeal seeking to overturn the lower court decision.
    Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confirm. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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