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affirm

[ uh-furm ]
/ əˈfɜrm /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR affirm ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to state or assert positively; maintain as true: to affirm one's loyalty to one's country; He affirmed that all was well.
to confirm or ratify: The appellate court affirmed the judgment of the lower court.
to assert solemnly: He affirmed his innocence.
to express agreement with or commitment to; uphold; support: to affirm human rights.

verb (used without object)

Law.
  1. to state something solemnly before a court or magistrate, but without oath.
  2. to ratify and accept a voidable transaction.
  3. (of an appellate court) to determine that the action of the lower court shall stand.

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Origin of affirm

1300–50; <Latin affirmāre, equivalent to af-af- + firmāre to make firm (see firm1); replacing Middle English a(f)fermen<Middle French afermer<Latin

synonym study for affirm

1. See declare.

OTHER WORDS FROM affirm

Words nearby affirm

affine group, affinitive, affinity, affinity card, affinity group, affirm, affirmance, affirmant, affirmation, affirmative, affirmative action
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to affirm

repeat, confirm, ratify, insist, assert, maintain, profess, declare, guarantee, attest, predicate, avow, set, avouch, certify, pronounce, vouch, ice, testify, state

Example sentences from the Web for affirm

British Dictionary definitions for affirm

affirm
/ (əˈfɜːm) /

verb (mainly tr)

(may take a clause as object) to declare to be true; assert positively
to uphold, confirm, or ratify
(intr) law to make an affirmation

Derived forms of affirm

affirmer or affirmant, noun

Word Origin for affirm

C14: via Old French from Latin affirmāre to present (something) as firm or fixed, assert, from ad- to + firmāre to make firm 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012