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 Medical examiners corroborated this version of events upon her arrest. Walden Green, Pitchfork, 29 Sep. 2025 Aldo brought along a binder of evidence to corroborate his claims of persecution. Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 Google Maps In October 2020, McGlynn was notified in a letter from Champion schools superintendent John Grabowski that he was being placed on administrative leave after several allegations of misconduct and emotional abuse of players were corroborated during an investigation by the school district. Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025 On Sunday, Cox told Meet the Press that Robinson was allegedly in a romantic relationship with a roommate who is trans, providing no additional public corroborating data or information of the roommate's gender. Abby Monteil, Them., 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for corroborate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corroborate
Verb
  • Milwaukee rewarded him with a two-year, $11 million contract in July, and, with Damian Lillard gone, Porter is now the point guard, which was confirmed by Doc Rivers a few weeks ago.
    Stan Son, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Two people were struck and killed by a cargo train in Little River on Monday night, Miami Police and Fire Rescue confirmed.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The clutch start in the regional only reinforced it.
    Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Wooden vessels for polar exploration typically reinforced the hulls internally with diagonal support beams, which braced the sides of the ship against lateral compression from powerful sea ice, said Tuhkuri, who researches the mechanics of ice.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Vanderbilt hospital is the only Level 1 pediatric trauma center within 150 miles, the top designation verified by the American College of Surgeons for around-the-clock specialists, a high volume of trauma cases, robust research and quality patient care.
    Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Toddlers can bolster their verbal and social skills with pretend play items.
    Pamela Brill, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
  • As evidenced, efforts can culminate in formal events for strategizing and bolstering membership.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That’s not sustainable, argues Ruchir Sharma, chair of Rockefeller International.
    Diane Brady, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The lawsuit argues the messages violate the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from compelling speech.
    Shannon Bond, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Luis Gil continued to pitch poorly, proving the questions around why the Yankees started him in the first place were warranted.
    Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
  • After a month of stress, Saturday proved to be a softer breath for the fourth-year coach.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Corroborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corroborate. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on corroborate

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