aver

verb

ə-ˈvər 

averred; averring

transitive verb

1

: to declare positively

Mr. Murray avers that many large organizations in the private sector are run by curmudgeons like him …

—Joseph Epstein

2

law

a

: to verify or prove to be true in pleading a cause

b

: to allege or assert in pleading

Did you know?

Since aver contains the "truth" root, it basically means "confirm as true". You may aver anything that you're sure of. In legal situations, aver means to state positively as a fact; thus, Perry Mason's clients aver that they are innocent, while the district attorney avers the opposite. If you make such a statement while under oath, and it turns out that you lied, you may have committed the crime of perjury.

Synonyms

• affirm
• allege
• assert
• avouch
• avow
• claim
• contend
• declare
• insist
• maintain
• profess
• protest
• purport
• warrant

Examples of aver in a Sentence

He averred that he was innocent.

“I am innocent,” he averred.

Recent Examples on the Web

The artist also averred that Germany was turning a blind eye to Islamophobia. —News Desk, Artforum, 25 Nov. 2024

Or averred that Biden was sharp as a tack and that anyone who suggested otherwise was a jerk. —Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

The railroad avers that when events not under its control are excluded, its performance statistics significantly improve, and that NJT’s newer trains, purchased since 2018, are dramatically more reliable than the older cars in the fleet. —Nolan Hicks, Curbed, 28 Oct. 2024

Curator Claire Gilman avers in the show’s catalog that this painting’s circular format may intentionally recall the porthole of a seafaring vessel. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 16 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English averren, from Anglo-French averer, from Medieval Latin adverare to confirm as authentic, from Latin ad- + verus true — more at very entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

aver

verb

ə-ˈvər 

averred; averring

: to declare positively

Legal Definition

aver

transitive verb

ə-ˈvər 

averred; averring

: to assert or declare positively especially in a pleading : allege

not necessary to aver the capacity of a party to sue

—U.S. Code

averment noun