Synonyms of substantiate

substantiate

verb

səb-ˈstan(t)-shē-ˌāt 

1

as in to prove

to gain full recognition or acceptance of

substantiated his claim to local mountaineering fame with a photo of himself on the summit of Mount McKinley

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prove
• establish
• demonstrate
• show
• confirm
• justify
• verify
• document
• sustain
• evidence
• uphold
• validate
• corroborate
• support
• attest
• authenticate
• bear out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disprove
• refute
• invalidate
• rebut
• discredit
• confute

2

as in to verify

to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of

Mr. MacGregor couldn't substantiate that it was Peter, and not some other rabbit, in the cabbage patch

Synonyms & Similar Words

• verify
• confirm
• argue
• support
• corroborate
• prove
• validate
• vindicate
• attest
• certify
• demonstrate
• authenticate
• bear out
• witness
• establish
• affirm
• reinforce
• testify (to)
• assert
• guarantee
• document
• declare
• vouch (for)
• back (up)
• warrant
• aver
• profess
• avouch
• reenforce
• avow

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refute
• disprove
• rebut
• contradict
• deny
• challenge
• gainsay
• question
• dispute
• contest
• disavow
• disclaim

3

as in to embody

to represent in visible form

the artist's intense feelings are substantiated by his paintings' bold colors and broad brush strokes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• embody
• express
• incorporate
• illustrate
• manifest
• exemplify
• symbolize
• body
• realize
• personalize
• epitomize
• personify
• materialize
• instantiate
• externalize
• incarnate
• actualize
• typify
• concretize
• objectify
• image

4

as in to establish

to show the existence or truth of by evidence

substantiate the need for a tuition increase with some concrete figures

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prove
• establish
• demonstrate
• validate
• verify
• document
• confirm
• identify
• corroborate
• evidence
• adduce
• buttress
• record
• support
• uphold
• evince
• attest
• certify
• vouch
• witness
• authenticate
• sustain
• testify
• back (up)
• circumstantiate
• confess
• clinch
• depose
• settle
• nail

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refute
• disprove
• rebut
• object
• challenge
• dispute
• assume
• allege
• presume
• guess
• suspect
• surmise
• conjecture

5

as in to reinforce

to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)

Darwin spent the rest of his life gathering evidence to substantiate his theory of the origin of species

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reinforce
• bolster
• prove
• corroborate
• support
• confirm
• buttress
• establish
• verify
• reenforce
• back
• shore (up)
• validate
• affirm
• avouch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undermine
• weaken
• undercut

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb substantiate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of substantiate are authenticate, confirm, corroborate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

When is authenticate a more appropriate choice than substantiate?

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

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When might confirm be a better fit than substantiate?

The meanings of confirm and substantiate largely overlap; however, confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

In what contexts can corroborate take the place of substantiate?

While the synonyms corroborate and substantiate are close in meaning, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

When could validate be used to replace substantiate?

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

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When would verify be a good substitute for substantiate?

The words verify and substantiate can be used in similar contexts, but 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

Recent Examples of substantiate

The hearings substantiated charges that the practice of polygamy persisted but exonerated Smoot as an individual. —Konden Smith Hansen, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025

Law enforcement and base officials determined around noon that no active shooter was substantiated. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

Child welfare services substantiated the accusation. —Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025

But records show state licensing agents have substantiated six separate violations against the Polinsky Children’s Center since 2023, including one case in which a child was struck by an adult. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2025