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 Four days later, Conejos County Coroner Richard Martin confirmed to PEOPLE that the two died after being struck by lightning. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025 Estefanía Mondragón, executive director of PODER of Idaho, told the Idaho Statesman that her organization had members at the scene who said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were there, and the FBI release confirmed that. Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2025 However, authorities later confirmed that the federal government was not involved. James Factora, Them., 20 Oct. 2025 Simpson and Johnson, who were married for a decade, separated in January, Simpson's reps confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY at the time. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confirm
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
  • Jeri said the measure, starting just after midnight and approved by the Council of Ministers, authorizes the deployment of the armed forces alongside the police to maintain public order.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
  • At that time, voters approved extending a capital-improvement property tax at the current rate to fund six categories of projects, including a new Little Rock District Court facility.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In fact, little of that story line, Androsoff argues, is backed up by historical evidence.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2025
  • At the time, Cortese argued the tax was needed to address significant and growing budget challenges.
    Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Israel’s cabinet ratified the agreement last night, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu notably defying his hard-right coalition allies in supporting the deal.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
  • That most of the general population will raise no objections further ratifies that dismal conclusion.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • However, Engelbert has indicated that a draft lottery and expansion draft won’t happen until the next CBA is finalized.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • According to a press release, the sale of the brand was approved on October 1 by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, and it’s expected to be finalized on November 3.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • An examiner shall have authority to accept such payment from any person authorized by this Act to make an application for listing, and shall issue a receipt for such payment.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The Bills have committed 35 penalties, 30 of them accepted for 209 yards.
    Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confirm. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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