confirm

verb

con·​firm kən-ˈfərm How to pronounce confirm (audio)
confirmed; confirming; confirms

transitive verb

1
: to give approval to : ratify
confirm a treaty
2
: to make firm or firmer : strengthen
confirm one's resolve
3
: to administer the rite of confirmation to
4
: to give new assurance of the validity of : remove doubt about by authoritative act or indisputable fact
confirm a rumor
confirm an order
confirmability noun
confirmable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for confirm

confirm, corroborate, substantiate, verify, authenticate, validate 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

corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

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

authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

Examples of confirm in a Sentence

The tests confirmed the doctors' suspicions of cancer. The attack confirmed her worst fears about the neighborhood. The award confirmed her status as one of the great movie actresses. The dentist's office called to confirm your appointment for tomorrow. We have a reservation for you for tomorrow night. Please call to confirm.
Recent Examples on the Web Allison’s death was confirmed by her family in an obituary. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Stephenson confirmed the authenticity of the emails but declined further comment. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Feedback from our testers confirmed that this table set showed minimal signs of wear and tear despite heavy use, proving its remarkable resilience and justifying its higher price tag. Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 Miami Beach police didn’t confirm exactly what type of administrative action would be taken, but said changing an officer’s duties is standard procedure for officers who have fired their weapons. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 President Biden on Friday confirmed his support for a bill advancing through Congress that could result in a nationwide ban on the social media app TikTok. Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Muhammad Al-Sheikh, Head of Emergency Care Department at Al Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City confirmed five people were killed in the incident. Abeer Salman and Khader Zaanoun, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The committee also voted 7-1 to confirm Regent Amy Bogost, with Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, opposing. Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied are divorced, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confirm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunfermer, from Latin confirmare, from com- + firmare to make firm, from firmus firm

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of confirm was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near confirm

Cite this Entry

“Confirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confirm. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

confirm

verb
con·​firm kən-ˈfərm How to pronounce confirm (audio)
1
: to make firm or firmer (as in habit, faith, or intention) : strengthen
2
: approve sense 2, ratify
confirm a treaty
3
: to administer confirmation to
4
: to make sure of the truth of : verify
confirm a suspicion
confirmable adjective

Legal Definition

confirm

transitive verb
con·​firm
1
a
: to make valid by necessary formal approval
the debtor's chapter 13 plan confirmed by the court
b
: to vote approval of
confirm a nomination
2
: to give formal acknowledgment of receipt of
3
: to remove doubt about by authoritative act or indisputable fact
a consent decree confirming Capt. Brown's right to his cargoW. G. Young

More from Merriam-Webster on confirm

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