authenticate

American  

[aw-then-ti-keyt] / ɔˈθɛn tɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

authenticated, authenticating

1. to establish as genuine.

   Synonyms:

   substantiate, validate, confirm

2. to establish the authorship or origin of conclusively or unquestionably, chiefly by the techniques of scholarship.

   to authenticate a painting.

3. to make authoritative or valid.

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authenticate British  

/ ɔːˈθɛntɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to establish as genuine or valid

2. to give authority or legal validity to

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Other Word Forms

• authenticatable adjective
• authentication noun
• authenticator noun
• nonauthenticated adjective
• nonauthentication noun
• reauthenticate verb (used with object)
• self-authenticating adjective
• unauthenticated adjective
• well-authenticated adjective

Etymology

Origin of authenticate

First recorded in 1565–75; from Medieval Latin authenticātus “made authentic” (past participle of authenticāre ). See authentic, -ate ¹

Explanation

When you authenticate something, you establish that it’s the real thing. If you authenticate a painting, for example, you’re sure that it's an original work, not a copy. The verb authenticate came into English in the seventeenth century by way of the Latin word authenticat-, meaning “established as valid.” You’ve probably heard it to mean that a valuable item, like a diamond or a rare vase, is genuine. But not everything that has to be authenticated is worth a lot of money. For example, experts authenticate evidence in an investigation and you authenticate your identity to gain access to your email account.

Example Sentences

Once users authenticate their identity through the identification service Clear, their data is pulled by vendor HealthEx, which adheres to the federal initiative known as Tefca, a nationwide framework for accessing health records.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

"In this study we show how to authenticate a biomarker, verifying that a signal truly comes from life rather than contamination or non-biological chemistry," Shawar adds.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

Nanos also said the sheriff's office had received a copy of a ransom note and was working with the FBI to authenticate it.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

Official media has largely played down the protests but videos have flooded social media, many of which are difficult to authenticate, or have even been manipulated.

From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026

Would it be contrary to medical ethics in the HeLa cell’s coming-of-age year to authenticate the name and let He .

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• attest
• corroborate
• substantiate
• validate
• verify