| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | ratify, validate, prove |
| Synonyms: | affirm, approve, attest, authenticate, back, bear out, bless, buy, certify, check, check out, circumstantiate, corroborate, debunk, double-check, endorse, establish, explain, give green light, give high sign, give stamp of approval, give the go-ahead, give the nod, justify, lap up, make good, make sure, okay, rubber-stamp, sanction, settle, sign, sign off on, size up, subscribe, substantiate, support, thumbs up, underpin, uphold, verify, vouch, warrant, witness |
| Notes: | corroborate is used in a narrower context, usually by way of providing support for testimony in a legal proceeding; confirm is to lend support to a much wider array of things |
| Antonyms: | annul, cancel, contradict, destroy, disprove, invalidate, oppose, veto, void |
| Main Entry: | admit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | confess, acknowledge |
| Synonyms: | accept, accord, acquiesce, adopt, affirm, agree, allow, approve, avow, bare, bring to light, communicate, concede, concur, confide, confirm, consent, cop a plea, credit, declare, disclose, divulge, enumerate, expose, go into details, grant, indicate, let, let on, make known, narrate, number, open up, own, own up, permit, proclaim, profess, recite, recognize, relate, reveal, spill*, subscribe to, talk, tell, tolerate, uncover, unveil, yield |
| Notes: | with admit, the acknowledgment of something being true applies to one's own sphere of conduct, whereas with concede the acknowledgment applies to another's; admit implies reluctance to disclose, grant, or concede and refers usually to facts rather than their implications |
| Antonyms: | confute, deny, dispute, dissent, gainsay, refuse |
| Main Entry: | affirm |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | declare the truth of something |
| Synonyms: | assert, asseverate, attest, aver, avouch, avow, certify, cinch, clinch, confirm, cross heart, declare, guarantee, have a lock on, ice*, insist, lock up, maintain, nail down, okay, predicate, profess, pronounce, put on ice, ratify, repeat, rubber-stamp, say so, set, state, swear, swear on bible, swear up and down, testify, vouch, witness |
| Antonyms: | deny, negate, nullify, veto |
| Main Entry: | approve |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | allow, authorize |
| Synonyms: | accede, accept, accredit, acquiesce, advocate, affirm, agree, assent, authorize, back*, bless*, boost, buy, buy into, certify, charter, concur, confirm, consent, dig*, empower, encourage, endorse, establish, get behind, give go-ahead, go along with, groove*, hats off to, lap up, license, maintain, make law, make valid, mandate, okay, permit, pronounce, push for, ratify, recommend, sanction, seal, second, sign, sign off on, stump for, subscribe to, support, thumbs up, uphold, validate |
| Antonyms: | disallow, disapprove, invalidate, oppose, refuse, reject |
| Main Entry: | ascertain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make sure |
| Synonyms: | catch on, check, check out*, check up on, confirm, determine, dig*, discover, divine, double-check, establish, eye*, eyeball, find out, fix, get down cold, get down pat, get hold of, get it down, get the hang of, identify, learn, learn the ropes, look-see, make certain, make sure, peg, pick up on, pick up*, read, see, settle, size, size up, tell, verify |
| Main Entry: | assure |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | promise |
| Synonyms: | affirm, attest, aver, brace up, buck up, certify, confirm, give one's word, guarantee, pledge, swear, vouch for, vow |
| Main Entry: | assure |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make certain |
| Synonyms: | cinch, clinch, complete, confirm, ensure, guarantee, have a lock on, ice*, insure, lock, lock on, lock up, make sure, nail down, put on ice, seal, secure, set |
| Main Entry: | attest |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | affirm, vouch for |
| Synonyms: | adjure, announce, argue, assert, asservate, authenticate, aver, bear out, bear witness, certify, confirm, corroborate, countersign, declare, demonstrate, display, exhibit, give evidence, indicate, prove, ratify, seal, show, substantiate, support, sustain, swear, testify, uphold, verify, warrant, witness |
| Antonyms: | deny |
| Main Entry: | authenticate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | establish as real, genuine |
| Synonyms: | accredit, attest, authorize, bear out, certify, confirm, corroborate, endorse, guarantee, justify, prove, substantiate, validate, verify, vouch, warrant |