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 In late September, a report from other online-safety advocacy groups, which was corroborated by researchers at Northeastern University, found that most of the 47 child safety features promised by Instagram were flawed. Charlotte Alter, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 To accuse or not to accuse, to corroborate or not to corroborate? David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025 Legal filings in an Epstein victim lawsuit against Deutsche Bank corroborate this account. Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025 Other contemporaneous sources corroborated this stance. Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for corroborate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corroborate
Verb
  • Vilaine did not confirm if anyone was transported to the hospital for medical care.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • These measurements confirmed that the metals were not forming nanoparticles but were dispersed as single atoms, chemically bound within the carbon framework in the favourable coordination environment — the secret sauce to their exceptional performance, according to a press release.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • These past two days have reinforced for me the importance of codifying principles and creating a road map to achieve them.
    Diane Brady, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Handshakes are a first step, but only a new agreement can verify compliance and reestablish the regular channels of communications that are critical to prevent a civilization-ending miscalculation.
    Ernest J. Moniz, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
  • And with a few canny pointers on how LLMs work and how to effectively structure prompts, AI can actually aid us in verifying posts on social media and offer missing context.
    Nadav Ziv, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • All of these factors are bolstered by people who contribute to the creation of new businesses and the growth of existing ones.
    Ben Zweig, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The market said the choice was a reflection of the country’s growing footprint as an international location, bolstered by a 30 percent cash rebate, as well as its bubbling local cinema scene led by the likes of Nabil Ayouch, Faouzi Bensaïdi, Asmae El Moudir, Halima Ouardiri and Maryam Touzani.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If the current fiscal package is estimated to not only cover its costs but grow the economy too, the path is justified, argued Zandi.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The company and store owners sued, arguing players could use an optional preview feature, removing the element of chance.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Few people have mastered the art of quietly luxurious style as well as Gwyneth Paltrow, and a quick scroll through her Instagram page proves it.
    Melony Forcier, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Regulating sports wagering has proven to be a challenge — and experts warn about the ramifications for gamblers who typically lose money.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Corroborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corroborate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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