verified; verifying
Synonyms of verify

transitive verb

1
: to establish the truth, accuracy, or reality of
verify the claim
2
: to confirm or substantiate in law by oath
Choose the Right Synonym for verify

confirm, corroborate, substantiate, verify, authenticate, validate mean to attest to the truth or validity of something.

confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

verify implies the establishing of correspondence of actual facts or details with those proposed or guessed at.

all statements of fact in the article have been verified

authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

Examples of verify in a Sentence

She verified her flight number. He verified that the item was in stock. Can you verify whether I am scheduled to work or not?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Enterprises may eventually maintain marketplaces of agents that are verified, tested, vetted and approved for particular departments. — Doug Shannon, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 But many of the results have already been verified in Lean—a programming language that validates a proof’s logic—and are therefore all but certain to be correct. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2026 One practical step for Miami consumers is to verify a practitioner’s active Florida license through the Florida Department of Health’s public lookup before booking. — Malana Vantyler, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 The commitment will be tracked and verified by nature restoration tech platform Veritree. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for verify

Word History

Etymology

Middle English verifien, borrowed from Anglo-French verifier, borrowed from Medieval Latin vērificāre, from Latin vērus "true" + -ficāre -fy — more at very entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of verify was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Verify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verify. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

verified; verifying
: to prove or check the truth, accuracy, or reality of
verify the claim
Etymology

Middle English verifien "to establish the truth of," from early French verifier (same meaning), from Latin verificare (same meaning), from earlier verus "true" — related to verdict, very

Legal Definition

verify

transitive verb
verified; verifying
1
: to confirm or substantiate by oath, affidavit, or deposition
verify a motion
2
: to establish the truth, accuracy, or reality of
Etymology

Anglo-French verifier, from Medieval Latin verificare, from Latin verus true + -ficare to make

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