First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
verify
verb ver·i·fy \ˈver-ə-ˌfī\
: to prove, show, find out, or state that (something) is true or correct
ver·i·fiedver·i·fy·ing
Full Definition of VERIFY
transitive verb
1
: to confirm or substantiate in law by oath
2
: to establish the truth, accuracy, or reality of <verify the claim>
— ver·i·fi·er \-ˌfī(-ə)r\ noun
See verify defined for English-language learners
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Origin of VERIFY
Middle English verifien, from Anglo-French verifier, from Medieval Latin verificare, from Latin verus true
Related to VERIFY
- Synonyms
- argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify, corroborate, substantiate, support, validate, confirm, vindicate
Synonym Discussion of 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>.
Rhymes with VERIFY
abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify
VERIFIED Defined for Kids
verify
verb ver·i·fy \ˈver-ə-ˌfī\
ver·i·fiedver·i·fy·ing
Definition of VERIFY for Kids
1
: to prove to be true or correct : confirm
2
: to check or test the accuracy of
Word Root of VERIFY
The Latin word vērus, meaning “true,” gives us the root ver. Words from the Latin vērus have something to do with the truth. To verify is to prove that something is true. A verdict is the judgment of truth that a jury reaches in a court. Very is another way of saying “truly,” as in “very good.”
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