confirm

[kuhn-furm]

verb (used with object)

1. to establish the truth, accuracy, validity, or genuineness of; corroborate; verify.

   This report confirms my suspicions.

   Synonyms: validate, authenticate, substantiate, prove
   Antonyms: disprove

2. to acknowledge with definite assurance.

   Did the hotel confirm our room reservation?

3. to make valid or binding by some formal or legal act; sanction; ratify.

   to confirm a treaty;

   to confirm her appointment to the Supreme Court.

   Antonyms: invalidate

4. to make firm or more firm; add strength to; settle or establish firmly.

   Their support confirmed my determination to run for mayor.

   Synonyms: fix
   Antonyms: shake

5. to strengthen (a person) in habit, resolution, opinion, etc..

   The accident confirmed him in his fear of driving.

6. to administer the religious rite of confirmation to.

confirm

/ kənˈfɜːm /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object) to prove to be true or valid; corroborate; verify

2. (may take a clause as object) to assert for a second or further time, so as to make more definite

   he confirmed that he would appear in court

3. to strengthen or make more firm

   his story confirmed my doubts

4. to make valid by a formal act or agreement; ratify

5. to administer the rite of confirmation to

Other Word Forms

• confirmatory adjective
• confirmer noun
• confirmable adjective
• confirmability noun
• confirmingly adverb
• nonconfirming adjective
• preconfirm verb (used with object)
• reconfirm verb (used with object)
• unconfirm verb (used with object)
• unconfirmability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of confirm¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin confirmāre “to strengthen, confirm” ( con-, firm ¹ ); replacing Middle English confermen, from Old French, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of confirm¹

C13: from Old French confermer, from Latin confirmāre, from firmus _firm ¹

Example Sentences

In a lighthearted Facebook post, the department confirmed the pumpkin was returned to its owner, joking that “Cinderella’s carriage did, in fact, turn back into a pumpkin” sometime before midnight.

Read more on Salon

Tehran confirmed on Sunday that it received an official invitation from Cairo to attend a Gaza summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, state media reported, without indicating whether a representative would attend.

Read more on Barron's

In a busy sequence for the VAR officials, Adams put the ball into the Belarus net for a second time in the 70th minute, confirming the original on-field decision that the Torino man was offside.

Read more on Barron's

Andrew Tulloch, a star AI researcher, confirmed his departure in a message to employees on Friday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"The results confirmed that Ayvalık -- which had never before been studied for its Paleolithic potential -- holds vital traces of early human activity."

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• affirm 
• approve 
• back 
• certify 
• corroborate 
• endorse 
• establish 
• explain 
• sign 
• substantiate 
• support 
• uphold 
• verify