Definition of corroboratenext

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 An internal Denver International Airport memo obtained by CBS Colorado appears to corroborate key details of a closed-door meeting that city officials have been publicly disputing. Brian Maass, CBS News, 26 June 2026 This figure may be based on intuition rather than fact; Kyle Patterson, RMNP’s public affairs officer, couldn’t find any recent studies corroborating it. Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 26 June 2026 Phone company records corroborated the girl’s account, according to court records. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 25 June 2026 Neither Musk, Elluswamy nor the driver has posted car data from the crash that could corroborate their claims. Samantha Elkins, NBC news, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for corroborate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corroborate
Verb
  • There were 55 wolves confirmed alive and nine wolf packs by the end of 2025, according to Fish and Wildlife’s annual wolf report.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Her parents, Mariano and Beatriz, confirmed the heartbreaking news to TMZ and shared a poignant tribute on Instagram, describing her death as a total shock and unexpected.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • The discovery of the buckling columns launched a major effort to shore up — or reinforce — the building’s weakest points, with crews using emergency jacks and installing new steel supports.
    Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Ship operators are favoring the Iranian route over the corridor along Oman’s coast, reinforcing the impact of the tanker attacks earlier this week, according to the trade intelligence firm Kpler.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • Throughout June, The Times verified Ukrainian strikes on oil and gas storage facilities, compression stations and power plants.
    Marc Santora, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • At the streaming giant’s request, both Kalshi and Polymarket have now removed Spotify’s logo from their markets and adjusted their language to avoid implying that Spotify had verified its chart results.
    Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • At the committee hearing, Wahab said the bill is meant to increase transparency over the county’s discretionary funds by bolstering public oversight of the county’s money and adding new checks on how taxpayer funds get spent.
    Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • The motorsport vibes are further bolstered by Track mode’s properly heavy steering and the brake system’s tuning.
    Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • The defense had argued to delay the hearing, saying in court filings this spring the high volume of discovery meant Robinson’s attorneys would be unable to adequately prepare.
    Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Proponents argue recordings would solve a long-standing crisis that leaves many proceedings with no verbatim record.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • That verdant vista of a piece of ancient, intricate architecture centered me in storied Osaka and proved a delightfully consistent through line for my stay.
    Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • In its conclusion, the report said forensic evidence did not prove Oliver died from inflicted trauma.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Corroborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corroborate. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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