English verb: confirm | |||
1. | confirm (cognition) establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts | ||
Samples | His story confirmed my doubts. The evidence supports the defendant. | ||
Synonyms | affirm, corroborate, substantiate, support, sustain | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something. Somebody ----s that CLAUSE | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | back, back up, demonstrate, document, establish, prove, shew, show, validate, verify, vouch | ||
Antonyms | negate, contradict | ||
2. | confirm (communication) strengthen or make more firm | ||
Samples | The witnesses confirmed the victim's account. | ||
Examples | They confirm that there was a traffic accident | ||
Synonyms | reassert | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s that CLAUSE | ||
Broader (hypernym) | affirm | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | corroborate, justify, maintain, reconfirm, uphold, validate, verify, warrant | ||
3. | confirm (change) make more firm | ||
Samples | Confirm thy soul in self-control!. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | beef up, fortify, strengthen | ||
4. | confirm (social) support a person for a position | ||
Samples | The Senate confirmed the President's candidate for Secretary of Defense. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | approve, O.K., okay, sanction | ||
5. | confirm (social) administer the rite of confirmation to | ||
Samples | The children were confirmed in their mother's faith. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | covenant | ||
Domain category | faith, organized religion, religion | ||