Meaning & use
affirm
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To state strongly and publicly that something is true.
Grammar: Takes an object or that-clause: affirm that it is safe.
Patterns
- affirm something
- affirm that something is true
The spokesperson affirmed that the company would pay.
He affirmed his innocence in court.
She affirmed her commitment to the project.
verbtransitive
To show support for someone or something, or make it feel more certain.
Grammar: Takes an object: affirm a person.
Patterns
- affirm someone
- affirm something
Good teachers affirm their students' efforts.
The result affirmed our belief in the plan.
verbtransitivelegal
Of a higher court, to decide that a lower court's ruling was correct.
Grammar: Takes a ruling as object.
Patterns
- affirm a decision
The appeals court affirmed the verdict.
Word forms
| third person singular | affirms |
|---|---|
| past tense | affirmed |
| past participle | affirmed |
| -ing form | affirming |
Common combinations
- affirm a commitment
- The leaders affirmed their commitment to peace.
- affirm a decision
- The court affirmed the decision.
- affirm your faith
- They affirmed their faith.
- publicly affirm
- He publicly affirmed his support.
Synonyms and how they differ
- assert
- Stresses saying something forcefully, even if it may not be proved.
- confirm
- Means to prove or state that something already suspected is true.
- declare
- Suggests an official, public announcement.
- uphold
- Used for decisions and principles being kept in place.
Opposites
Word family
- affirmation noun
- a statement of support or truth
- affirmative adjective
- saying yes
- reaffirm verb
- to affirm again
Commonly confused: affirm or confirm?
affirm vs confirm
Confirm means to verify something is true; affirm means to state it firmly.
Practice
The appeals court ___ the lower court's decision, so the sentence stayed in place.
Choose one answer.
A higher court that affirms a ruling agrees with it. Reversed would mean the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “affirm”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.