Synonym Chooser

How does the verb validate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of validate are authenticate, confirm, corroborate, substantiate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When might authenticate be a better fit than validate?

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

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

In what contexts can confirm take the place of validate?

While the synonyms confirm and validate are close in meaning, confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

When would corroborate be a good substitute for validate?

While in some cases nearly identical to validate, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

Where would substantiate be a reasonable alternative to validate?

The synonyms substantiate and validate are sometimes interchangeable, but substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

When is verify a more appropriate choice than validate?

The meanings of verify and validate largely overlap; 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 validate The scientists validated their machine learning outputs by applying the same tools to datasets from mice and adult human cortex cells, and reported a false positive rate of just 0.37 percent. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 3 July 2025 Investigators were never able to validate his claim, and Segee later recanted his statement. Jordan Friedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2025 Some of the fears voiced by critics have been validated, with fewer students applying to magnets and a greater number leaving through this school year compared to the year prior, district data shows. Grace Fridy, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 More than just the designs, the accessibility of Brilliant Earth’s pieces further validated her choice to partner with the company. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for validate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for validate
Verb
  • For all July 4 plans involving alcohol, plan ahead and verify specific store hours or delivery options directly with retailers.
    Kate Nalepinski, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
  • An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • The Hammer proves to be only a puppet for Superman’s old archenemy, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who controls him, barking out commands like a TV director.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
  • The approach Buffett pioneered has proven incredibly effective, raising millions over the years, with his final round alone bringing in $19 million.
    Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Jones provided those services to the youth mentoring group for its annual conferences between 2019 and 2024 under a different audiovisual company, American Electronic Entertainment, aka, AEE Productions, 100 Black Men of America confirmed.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2025
  • His death at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles was confirmed by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on June 24, but authorities have not disclosed the cause.
    Scott MacFarlane July 6, CBS News, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • Two of the victims have been identified in a GoFundMe that has been established, but the Statesman will not publish the four victims’ names until the coroner releases their identities. CORRECTION: The Facebook postings about Benjamin Naylor were made by his three daughters and his ex-wife.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 11 July 2025
  • Not long before the end, the daring writer-director introduces an idea that should have been established from the jump: As a child, Seti struggled with a speech impediment.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Given to the forward who demonstrates throughout the season the most skill in the defensive component of the game.
    The Athletic NHL Staff, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • These weren't amateur attempts at gaming the system — they were carefully crafted prompt injections that demonstrated deep understanding of how AI systems process text and respond to instructions.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Validate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/validate. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

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