substantiate

verb

sub·​stan·​ti·​ate səb-ˈstan(t)-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce substantiate (audio)
substantiated; substantiating

transitive verb

1
: to give substance or form to : embody
2
: to establish by proof or competent evidence : verify
substantiate a charge
substantiation noun
substantiative adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for substantiate

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 substantiate in a Sentence

substantiated his claim to local mountaineering fame with a photo of himself on the summit of Mount McKinley Mr. MacGregor couldn't substantiate that it was Peter, and not some other rabbit, in the cabbage patch.
Recent Examples on the Web This is substantiated by the fact that the company’s gross margin in business has largely remained intact in the nine months of operations in the current fiscal at ~45% as compared to the last fiscal. Trefis Team, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 The report was substantiated in the article by Trump’s former White House chief of staff John Kelly. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2024 Internal Affairs investigators substantiated the incident as an abuse of his position. Sarah Metz, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2024 Nichols, police said, was pulled over for reckless driving, but Memphis’ police chief has said there is no evidence to substantiate that. Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for substantiate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'substantiate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of substantiate was in 1610

Dictionary Entries Near substantiate

Cite this Entry

“Substantiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substantiate. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

substantiate

verb
sub·​stan·​ti·​ate səb-ˈstan-chē-ˌāt How to pronounce substantiate (audio)
substantiated; substantiating
1
: to give substance or form to : embody
2
: to establish by proof or evidence
substantiate a claim
substantiation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on substantiate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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