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Glite Dictionary
✅ To prove true 🗳️ To officially approve 💪 To make stronger ⛪ To admit to church
to confirm

to confirm

265 2.6
To officially approve a person for a job, often by vote
  • verb
  • /kənˈfɜrm/
  • Formal
translation icon : ratificar
  • No presidential Cabinet nominee has failed to be confirmed since 1925.
  • confirmed by the Senate
  • confirmed as president

Examples

  • "Your rooms are already reserved and confirmed as of this morning," the little man answered.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • This will enable Parliament to confirm that with our new treaty, Rwanda is safe.

  • Someone will have to formally confirm that it's her.

    Wicked Little Letters (2024)

  • In 2009, President Obama nominated her and she was confirmed as U.S. under secretary of energy.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Steve just called to confirm his 8:00 reservation at the Water Grill.

    The Italian Job (2003)

  • And I can confirm that the suspect and the owner of the property, one John Aldiss, is now in custody.

    Sinister Switch (2021)

  • In July 1988, Lee was confirmed as KMT party leader at the party's 13th Congress.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Nominated by state legislators and confirmed by the governor, the powerful justices of the peace held life tenures.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Mr. Stanwyk, you are confirmed on Pan Am Flight 441... ... to Rio de Janeiro tomorrow evening, 11 pm, first class.

    Fletch (1985)

  • The committee will meet next week to confirm the new board members.

Synonyms

to accept
vsto confirm
∞ 1.3

To believe or agree that something is true

is about formal appointment approval, not general belief or agreement
to approve
vsto confirm
∞ 1.6

To officially agree to something or think that it is good

is specifically about formally approving someone for a position
to clear
vsto confirm
  • Formal
209 5.5

To get official permission or approval

targets formal approval used for appointing or confirming a person
to endorse
vsto confirm
183 4.2

To publicly show support for a person or idea

is the formal act that approves a person for a position, not just support
to ratify
vsto confirm
  • Formal
70 6.0

Officially approve an agreement, law, or decision

formally approves a person for a role, often through an official vote
to sanction
vsto confirm
  • Formal
16 7.1

To give religious approval during a formal ceremony

is a formal administrative approval specifically for appointing someone
to officialize
vsto confirm
  • US
1 7.0

To give something formal approval from someone in charge

relates more narrowly to formally approving a person for a role
to homologate
vsto confirm
  • Formal
9.9

To officially approve a product for legal or technical use

focuses on approving a person for a position rather than a technical item
to approbate
vsto confirm
  • Formal
9.9

To give official permission to a plan or document by an authority

specifically applies that formal approval to appointing someone to a role
to O.K.
vsto confirm
2.3

To give permission to start or use something

is the formal process of approving someone for a position, often by vote

Antonyms

to disapprove
94 2.9

To think something is wrong or bad and show it

How Official

to swear in
  • Formal
53 4.2
to appoint
  • Formal
580 3.2
to confirm
  • Formal
265 2.6
to approve
∞ 1.6
to nominate
461 3.4
to endorse
183 4.2

Surface Forms

confirm infinitive
confirmed past
confirmed past participle
confirming present participle
confirms third person singular

Morphology

confirm = con + firm

The official sense 'approve or ratify an appointment' is a specialized extension that is not straightforwardly recoverable from the apparent parts con- and firm.

Etymology

The word confirm comes from the parts con- 'together' and firm 'firm', so an official vote or decision that confirms someone makes their position firm and official.