Synonym Chooser

How does the verb corroborate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of corroborate are authenticate, confirm, substantiate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

When is it sensible to use authenticate instead of corroborate?

Although the words authenticate and corroborate have much in common, authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

Where would confirm be a reasonable alternative to corroborate?

The synonyms confirm and corroborate are sometimes interchangeable, but confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

When is substantiate a more appropriate choice than corroborate?

The meanings of substantiate and corroborate largely overlap; however, 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 corroborate?

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

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When could verify be used to replace corroborate?

In some situations, the words verify and corroborate 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 corroborate More recent research corroborates what Anthropic noticed. Parmy Olson, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025 Cudi also corroborated Cassie’s previous account of his car being set on fire in January 2012. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 May 2025 Police were not able to corroborate that claim, according to the district attorney's office. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 3 June 2025 Police could not independently corroborate the associate’s claims, so Nickerson was not arrested or charged. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for corroborate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corroborate
Verb
  • For a time, Cruz would let women know about misoprostol—how to procure and take it—and support them through the process while the doctor would provide consultations and follow-up care to those who needed it, such as an ultrasound to confirm gestation or monitoring of heavy bleeding.
    Rebecca Grant June 24, Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
  • This weekend, the woman was confirmed as the man’s partner, 28-year-old Russian national Anastasia Trofimova (who is not the documentarian of the same name), and the child, their 11-month-old daughter Andromeda.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • That comes after Trump has broadly praised Israel's aggressive campaign against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure, reinforcing a hawkish stance that bolsters Israel's right-wing leadership in its operations—not only against Iran but also in Gaza and the West Bank.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
  • But the narrative was reinforced Tuesday afternoon when Alphonso Davies, recovering from an ACL tear suffered in March, arrived at Canada’s hotel to support his teammates.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Developing apparel made from more sustainable materials, setting company-wide climate targets verified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and enhancing traceability and social compliance programs are central to this strategy.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 24 June 2025
  • However, age verification has become increasingly accurate, and computer vision can now even be used to verify a consumer’s age before purchasing alcohol.
    Michael Jaszczyk, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • An attempt to bolster his signal under the guise of a junior ham-radio club ends with Elio getting clocked in the eye.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2025
  • Meta’s big bet on Wang is CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s latest effort to bolster his company’s AI development amid fierce competition from OpenAI and Google parent Alphabet.
    Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Democrats, led by Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, had argued that in recent decades Congress gradually surrendered war-making powers to the president.
    Robert Jimison, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • Justice Amy Coney Barrett argued only the Supreme Court can provide such universal relief.
    Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • In an Edwardian manor near Grosvenor Square—where sprawling shopping destinations Regents Street and New Bond Street are there for window gawking—the 31 rooms prove to be a welcome respite from city noise.
    Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2025
  • If the family is traveling, requiring reading can prove to be beneficial.
    Jerald McNair, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Corroborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corroborate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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