Meaning & use
substantiate
To provide evidence or proof to support a claim, theory, or statement.
See it in a sentence
The researchers could not substantiate their initial hypothesis with the data collected.
She substantiated her complaint with photographs and several witness statements.
A note on using this word
Substantiate is common in formal, legal, and academic writing and usually takes a claim, allegation, or theory as its object.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
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