confirm

verb

kən-ˈfərm How to pronounce confirm (audio)
Definition of confirmnext
1
as in to verify
to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of several eyewitnesses who can confirm the defendant's account of what happened

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to approve
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory the senate must confirm an appointment to an ambassadorship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 House clerk: Swearing-in date yet to be determined The race will come to a close with the general election in late September, but it is not yet confirmed when, exactly, the winning candidate will take office. —Laura Gersony, AZCentral.com, 15 July 2025 Spencer has confirmed that Maganda has felt comforted by the outpouring of support from his peers. —Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 15 July 2025 As of writing, Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation have not officially confirmed a sequel to KPop Demon Hunters. —Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 July 2025 Refrain from clicking on any links in emails or websites without confirming the authenticity of the sender. —Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for confirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confirm
  1. verify
  2. approve
  3. argue
  4. ratify
  5. finalize
  6. accept
Verb
  • His accusation couldn’t be verified in public records.
    — The Marshall Project, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
  • In today's threat landscape, verifying identities isn't enough.
    — Chris Bowen, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of verify
Verb
  • The commissioners almost always vote unanimously on agenda items at public meetings, from utility rates to approving new transmission lines.
    — Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 24 July 2025
  • The court approved the request in January, with Rose’s other children—Pete Rose II and Cara—formally consenting.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of approve
Verb
  • As a result, the government argues, the university is not entitled to these research dollars.
    — Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 21 July 2025
  • But McBride argues that, by this point, Americans had begun viewing hair style as a personal choice, making Jones’s ultimatums controversial.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
Definition of argue
Verb
  • Has a top jockey in the irons, but can’t see him being ratified here.
    — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Visual effects workers employed by Saturday Night Live have ratified their first union contract.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
Definition of ratify
Verb
  • The pair announced their separation in September 2022, finalizing their divorce in March 2024.
    — Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 21 July 2025
  • Paramount is in the process of finalizing a multibillion-dollar merger with the movie studio Skydance, a deal that requires approval from the Trump administration.
    — Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
Definition of finalize
Verb
  • To the local big-game purists, sharks were the stray dogs of the sea, and if Mundus was willing to control the population he was accepted as an eccentric asset to the community.
    — Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
  • The Dawg Pound is an iconic part of the Browns franchise and one of the best representations in sports of fans feeling like and being accepted as part of the organization.
    — Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Definition of accept

Browse Nearby Words

confining
confirm
confirmable
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Cite this Entry

“Confirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confirm. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of confirm for Spanish Speakers

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