confirmation
Americannoun
-
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.
-
Religion.
-
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.
-
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.
-
-
something that confirms, as a corroborative statement or piece of evidence.
His birth certificate served as confirmation of his citizenship.
noun
-
the act of confirming
-
something that confirms; verification
-
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
-
(in the philosophy of science) the relationship between an observation and the theory which it supposedly renders more probable Compare hypothetico-deductive
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonconfirmationnoun
-
preconfirmationnoun
-
reconfirmationnoun
-
self-confirmationnoun
-
superconfirmationnoun
-
confirmationaladjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of confirmation
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French and Latin confirmātiōn-, stem of confirmātiō; see confirm, -ation
Explanation
A confirmation provides proof that something is true. An example might be when you receive confirmation that your flight will be on time, or you find out that something you thought might have happened actually did occur. Confirmation is verification or final proof of something. In the church, confirmation is a rite in which a person if awarded full acceptance into — i.e., confirmed in — the religion, usually presented in a ceremony attended by family and friends. You can see how that ties in with the more general definition of substantiation of a fact or assertion. Confirmation is an obvious derivative of the verb confirm.
Vocabulary lists containing confirmation
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Poet X
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Analyzing Arguments: From Reading to Writing (Chapter 3)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
It’s more probable that the financial-services company is looking for confirmation that she has died so they can begin administering her account and, if appropriate, distributing any assets to the rightful beneficiaries or heirs.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
SK hynix's surge was helped by confirmation that the chair of its parent company had bought around $3 million worth of shares, seen as a vote of confidence after recent steep losses.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
The confirmation follows staff cuts at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
For now, just hold on to your email confirmation forms; you’ve done the hard work already.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Peter Paul Peckleman’s claim to fame was further confirmation that piecing together the picture puzzle would show Charles how to escape from the library.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
One of its earliest confirmations came from Mercury's orbit, which shifts slightly more than Newton's laws alone could explain.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 19, 2026
Senate confirmations take time, and without that signal, the administration can’t plan a second nomination because they don’t know if the seat is opening up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
The Fed’s board can vote to install an interim chair to lead the Fed and has done so when confirmations have lagged.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
Nicky Henderson's Arkle Chase winner Jango Baie is also among the eight confirmations as is The Jukebox Man, owned by former football manager Harry Redknapp.
From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2025
The fact that Einstein’s predictions matched what was seen, while Newton’s did not, was one of the crucial confirmations of the new theory.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
