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Synonyms

confirmation

American  
[kon-fer-mey-shuhn] / ˌkɒn fərˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. an act or instance of confirming, or of establishing someone or something, as by verifying, approving, or corroborating.

    The study is an attempt at the scientific confirmation of previous anecdotal results.

    The nomination and confirmation of this candidate as Court of Appeals Judge is a step in the right direction.

  2. Religion.

    1. a rite in some Christian churches, in which baptized individuals profess their faith, are accorded status as full members, and, in some denominations, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

    2. a solemn ceremony among Reform and certain Conservative Jews, admitting young people to adult membership in the Jewish community after completion of a prescribed course of study.

  3. something that confirms, confirm, as a corroborative statement or piece of evidence.

    His birth certificate served as confirmation of his citizenship.


confirmation British  
/ ˌkɒnfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act of confirming

  2. something that confirms; verification

  3. a rite in several Christian churches that confirms a baptized person in his or her faith and admits him or her to full participation in the church

  4. (in the philosophy of science) the relationship between an observation and the theory which it supposedly renders more probable Compare hypothetico-deductive

"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

Other Word Forms

  • confirmational adjective
  • nonconfirmation noun
  • preconfirmation noun
  • reconfirmation noun
  • self-confirmation noun
  • superconfirmation noun

Etymology

Origin of confirmation

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French and Latin confirmātiōn-, stem of confirmātiō; confirm, -ation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That confirmation would come from a break above the bear flag—requiring a break above $93.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

In its statement to the BBC, DHS referenced remarks from Mullin's confirmation hearing:

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, said Trump’s attempts to bypass the normal confirmation processes are unconstitutional.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

At his Senate confirmation hearing in November, Selig told senators he would defer to the courts on whether or not sports prediction markets should be regulated by the states as gambling.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

My investigative skills uncovering that Fig had diabetes, and the vet’s confirmation.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas