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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 substantiate Brooke Kozak, a Shaw Law Group lawyer the county hired, said that interviews and evidence substantiated the complaints of inappropriate comments, but not the claim of retaliation, according to the law firm’s report. Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2025 Research from the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute of Social and Economic Research substantiates this. Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 However, nearly two weeks after Elsy Noemi Berrios, 52, was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, DHS has yet to disclose any evidence to substantiate its claim against the Salvadoran woman to the public or, her attorneys say, to them. Polo Sandoval, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2025 As of yet, Allure has been unable to substantiate the coma claim (our source confirmed with three different people who have knowledge of the matter that a plastic surgeon's rib patient wound up in an ICU in Los Angeles). Jolene Edgar, Allure, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for substantiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantiate
Verb
  • If your goal is to invest in a pair of supportive yet stylish sandals or slides to complement every outfit in your suitcase, then Birkenstock has proven to craft the best shoes for the job.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2025
  • As unwieldy as this melodrama is, much of it proves that Roustaee remains a gifted young director who surely has more stories to tell.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • Videos of the strikes have circulated widely, but the footage could not be independently verified.
    Yevgeny Kuklychev Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • In Bitcoin, nodes verify signatures and miners’ proof of work.
    Korok Ray, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • Either way, the new pope embodies all the complexities of being an American, serving as an authentic ambassador of our history and culture.
    Rebecca R. Bibbs, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
  • Giorgio Armani Mare is the women’s and men’s collection that embodies Giorgio Armani’s aesthetic.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • Along with Cepeda, Jenkins established the boutique production company Resurgent Pictures in 2022.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 24 May 2025
  • Urban Exploration Hartford, the state capital, boasts a growing LGBTQ+ scene centered around Chez Est, a restaurant and cabaret established in 1983 and believed to be the first entertainment venue of its kind in the state’s history.
    Joshua Alston, USA Today, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • That reinforces the original (or last) experience the customer had with you.
    Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • Netflix’s dark comedy is full of drama, romance and the bonds of sisterhood Comments Sirens demonstrates that wanting more in life while staying true to oneself might be easier said than done.
    Francesca Gariano, People.com, 24 May 2025
  • In November 2024, Russia demonstrated the capabilities of its own hypersonic missile with an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, going on television shortly afterwards to boast about the weapons capabilities.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • Steve Burton confirms 'General Hospital' exit over vaccine mandate: This 'hurts'Need a break?
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 20 May 2025
  • However, in March, Google confirmed that the Assistant would be phased out in favor of Gemini.
    Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • During arguments before the Supreme Court, several of the justices expressed concerns about the use of nationwide injunctions, but John Sauer, President Donald Trump’s solicitor general, faced pushback this week about whether limiting injunctions was appropriate in this case.
    Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 18 May 2025
  • No Justice, not even the most conservative, expressed a hint of sympathy for eliminating it.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 17 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Substantiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantiate. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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