1
as in to prove
to gain full recognition or acceptance of substantiated his claim to local mountaineering fame with a photo of himself on the summit of Mount McKinley

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to embody
to represent in visible form the artist's intense feelings are substantiated by his paintings' bold colors and broad brush strokes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) Darwin spent the rest of his life gathering evidence to substantiate his theory of the origin of species

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb substantiate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of substantiate are authenticate, confirm, corroborate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

When is authenticate a more appropriate choice than substantiate?

Although the words authenticate and substantiate have much in common, authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When might confirm be a better fit than substantiate?

The meanings of confirm and substantiate largely overlap; however, confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

In what contexts can corroborate take the place of substantiate?

While the synonyms corroborate and substantiate are close in meaning, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

When could validate be used to replace substantiate?

While in some cases nearly identical to substantiate, validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When would verify be a good substitute for substantiate?

The words verify and substantiate can be used in similar contexts, but 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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of substantiate The space agency points to evidence from Soviet and non-Soviet sources and historical documents to substantiate its belief that Cosmos 482 was intended to reach Venus. James Powel, USA Today, 7 May 2025 In 2013, then-correspondent Lara Logan took a leave of absence from the show after a flawed report on Benghazi was found to have failed to substantiate some of the assertions of one of its key sources. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025 If the allegations are substantiated, he will be fired, officials said. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025 Attorney General Pam Bondi argues that Abrego Garcia is part of the MS-13 gang — a claim his family denies and has yet to be substantiated by the courts. Cate Martel, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for substantiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantiate
Verb
  • The Democratic Governors Association, which works to elect Democratic governors across the country and protect incumbents, argued in a statement that Hochul has been continually underestimated and proven doubters wrong.
    Jared Gans, The Hill, 4 June 2025
  • Trump’s advisers remain animated by the unyielding belief that the economic experts were proven wrong in Trump’s first term.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • That does not mean they should not be scrutinized, and any errors, if verified, should be corrected for the historical record.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, Deloitte has established a clearinghouse that will be known as NIL Go, which will be used to verify whether deals between athletes and boosters or collectives are for a valid business purpose rather than a recruiting incentive.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • In curating the show, Moore sought to elevate artists whose work embodies this tension while also offering something tender, vulnerable, and defiant.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 5 June 2025
  • Whether the character embodied the spirit of the country with startling accuracy or became a self-fulfilling prophecy is impossible to say.
    Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • In spite of his ability to carry the ball forward — a point of difference from his fellow midfielders — Willock has never quite established himself as integral, at least in part because of his struggles with injury.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • Over the course of his prolific, three-decade career, the American filmmaker has established a signature aesthetic and working style that could convince any actor to beg him for a part — almost any actor.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • The company’s shares have risen more than 7% this week as Meta’s deal to buy nuclear power from Constellation Energy has reinforced the view that demand is increasing as the tech sector hunts for electricity for its data centers.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 6 June 2025
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Marine Group officials wanted to demonstrate that converting similarly sized tugs from diesel to electric can be replicated by other companies, such as excursion boats and dinner cruises.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
  • Of course, none of that would matter if the team had not demonstrated strong fan support and signed up those 10,000 season-ticket holders, which is around the same number the Warriors have in the same arena—albeit at a lower price.
    Matt Craig, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Iranian state media confirmed later that General Hossein Salami, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was killed in the strikes, along with at least four senior officials.
    Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
  • The band confirmed the news on its social media accounts.
    August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • The Senate holds a slim majority, and at least four Senators, including Paul, have publicly expressed concerns over parts of the bill (the others are Ron Johnson, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski).
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • And all three other members express regret about George’s indecision costing the group a spot in the lineup for the historic marathon Live Aid concert at London’s Wembley Stadium.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Substantiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantiate. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on substantiate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!