ascertain

[ as-er-teyn ]
/ ˌæs ərˈteɪn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR ascertain ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to find out definitely; learn with certainty or assurance; determine: to ascertain the facts.
Archaic. to make certain, clear, or definitely known.

QUIZZES

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Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
to assent tacitly; agree; consent.
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Origin of ascertain

1400–50; late Middle English, variant of assertain, acertain<Middle French acertain- (tonic stem of acertener to make certain), equivalent to a-a-5 + certaincertain

synonym study for ascertain

1. See learn.

OTHER WORDS FROM ascertain

Words nearby ascertain

Ascension Day, ascensionist, Ascensiontide, ascensive, ascent, ascertain, ascesis, ascetic, asceticism, Asch, Aschaffenburg
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to ascertain

find out, confirm, verify, determine, divine, double-check, dig, eye, read, fix, discover, tell, see, settle, identify, learn, peg, establish, check, size

Example sentences from the Web for ascertain

British Dictionary definitions for ascertain

ascertain
/ (ˌæsəˈteɪn) /

verb (tr)

to determine or discover definitely
archaic to make certain

Derived forms of ascertain

ascertainable, adjectiveascertainably, adverbascertainment, noun

Word Origin for ascertain

C15: from Old French acertener to make certain
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