Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confirm contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confirm are authenticate, corroborate, substantiate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

When is authenticate a more appropriate choice than confirm?

While the synonyms authenticate and confirm are close in meaning, authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When is it sensible to use corroborate instead of confirm?

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

witnesses corroborated his story

When could substantiate be used to replace confirm?

The synonyms substantiate and confirm are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 confirm?

The meanings of validate and confirm largely overlap; however, validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When would verify be a good substitute for confirm?

In some situations, the words verify and confirm 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 confirm Be sure to check with your local restaurant or retailer to confirm details before heading out! Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 Krispy Kreme confirmed the the deal — which has been in effect for years. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025 Transit officials confirmed Thursday what multiple sources told The News — that the current acting leaders in subways and paratransit (Access-A-Ride) will be made permanent: Bill Amarosa in the Department of Subways and Rachel Cohen in Paratransit. Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025 The next Starliner test flight would seek to confirm that the spacecraft's thrusters function properly after modifications were made to the vehicle's propulsion system, according to Stich. Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confirm
Verb
  • Witkoff An unidentified individual familiar with the work of the Yale Center verified the letter's contents and told the NYT that the details were accurate.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The new requirements will impact anyone who needs to verify their bank information with the agency, as well as families with children who receive Social Security benefits and cannot verify a child's information on the SSA website.
    CBS News, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this month, the pope approved a new three-year reform process for the Catholic Church.
    Christopher Lamb, CNN, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Francis has stayed in control In between respiratory crises, prayer and physiotherapy, Francis has appointed over a dozen bishops, approved a handful of new saints, authorized a three-year extension of his signature reform process and sent off messages public and private.
    Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Current Social Science Research Approaches Are Limited For decades, Lahlou argues, the social sciences and their applications in fields as diverse as marketing and industrial psychology have focused primarily on individual psychology and interpersonal dynamics.
    Benjamin Voyer, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • However, Students for Justice in Palestine argue the event threatens students’ emotional and physical safety, and is in violation of the school’s neutrality policies.
    Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Ottawa Treaty is an international agreement signed in 1997 that has been ratified or acceded to by more than 160 nations, and in withdrawing from it, Warsaw and the Baltic nations can begin stockpiling and using landmines for the first time in nearly 30 years.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The formal establishment of an organization to manage Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River basin, shared by Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, was never formally ratified by its member countries.
    Melissa McCracken, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The former couple finalized their divorce in October 2022.
    Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Michael Barnett filed for divorce from Kristine Barnett in 2014, and their divorce was finalized in 2018, per court records obtained by TODAY.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Each household can bring up to 20 residential tires for proper disposal; commercial tires will not be accepted.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
  • New York declined to accept the first two hammers, cutting the team’s lead to a single point, before Horschel’s long putt snaked into the hole at the 14th to give Atlanta a dramatic lead.
    George Ramsay, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confirm. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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