confirm

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To show that information, a suspicion, or a fact is true, accurate, or correct.

   Grammar: Takes an object or a that-clause: confirm the result, confirm that the result is correct.

   Patterns

   • confirm something
   • confirm that…
   • confirm whether/if…
   • confirm someone’s suspicions

   The test confirmed that the water was safe to drink.

   Please confirm your email address before the account opens.

   New evidence confirmed the detectives’ original suspicion.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To state firmly that a plan, arrangement, or attendance will happen as expected.

   Grammar: Takes an object such as booking, date, reservation, or attendance; often used in business and travel.

   Patterns

   • confirm a booking
   • confirm a date/time
   • confirm attendance
   • confirm something in writing

   The hotel confirmed our reservation by text.

   Can you confirm the meeting time with the client?

   Forty guests have confirmed attendance so far.

3. 3verbtransitivereligion

   In some Christian churches, to admit a baptized person formally to full church membership through a ceremony.

   Grammar: Takes a person as object and is mainly used in religious contexts.

   Patterns

   • confirm someone
   • be confirmed
   • confirmation ceremony

   The bishop will confirm twelve young people at the cathedral next month.

   She was confirmed in the spring and received with the other candidates.

   Families gathered for the service that would confirm the teenagers.

Word forms

Common combinations

confirm a booking/reservation

I called to confirm the reservation for Saturday night.

confirm receipt

Please confirm receipt of the contract when it arrives.

confirm suspicions

The missing letter confirmed her suspicions about the deal.

officially confirm

Officials confirmed that the bridge would reopen on Monday.

Synonyms and how they differ

verify

Very close for checking accuracy; verify often stresses formal checking of details.

corroborate

Means to support a claim with independent evidence, usually more formal than confirm.

validate

Can mean prove that something is sound or acceptable, especially data, feelings, or methods.

prove

Stronger: it establishes truth from evidence, while confirm often removes doubt about something already expected.

Opposites

Word family

confirmation noun

The act of confirming, or a message that proves something is definite.

confirmed adjective

Firmly settled, long-established, or verified.

Commonly confused: confirm or conform? confirm or assure?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “confirm”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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