affirm
verb
af·firm ə-ˈfərm 
affirmed; affirming; affirms
transitive verb
1
a
: validate, confirm
He was affirmed as a candidate.
b
: to state positively
He affirmed his innocence.
2
: to assert (something, such as a judgment or decree) as valid or confirmed
The court affirmed his conviction.
3
: to show or express a strong belief in or dedication to (something, such as an important idea)
laws affirming the racial equality of all people
intransitive verb
1
: to testify or declare by affirmation (see affirmation sense 2) as distinguished from swearing an oath
2
: to uphold a judgment or decree of a lower court
affirmable
ə-ˈfər-mə-bəl
adjective affirmance
ə-ˈfər-mən(t)s
noun 
Synonyms
- allege
- assert
- aver
- avouch
- avow
- claim
- contend
- declare
- insist
- maintain
- profess
- protest
- purport
- warrant
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
We cannot affirm that this painting is genuine. They neither affirmed nor denied their guilt. laws affirming the racial equality of all peoples They continued to affirm their religious beliefs. The decision was affirmed by a higher court.
Recent Examples on the Web Another is examining the actions surrounding Jan. 6, when thousands of Trump supporters, many armed, overran the Capitol on the day that Congress was to count the electoral ballots and affirm Mr. Biden's victory in the 2020. 
Andres Triay, CBS News, 27 July 2022 Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin was on hand to affirm the president’s analogy and urge him to aim high. Elliot Kaufman, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 But the struggle to affirm the right to water and to build the systems to bring clean water to Native people has revealed long-standing inequities in water policy. AZCentral.com, 8 Aug. 2022 Put tangible resources behind efforts that affirm your employees’ excellent work and support their emotional and physical well-being. Tim Foot, Forbes, 19 July 2022 The plaintiffs asked the court to simply affirm Benitez’s ruling as in line with Bruen and allow the sale of military-style weapons in California again. Kevin Rectorstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2022 That can help people affirm their identities and ensure that their dead names are not being disclosed. Nerd Wallet, oregonlive, 9 July 2022 Support, plan and execute events to celebrate and affirm the gay community. Sherry Greenfield, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2022 Vitale was chosen for her work in implementing policies that actively affirm students, and is a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community. Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2022 See More
Andres Triay, CBS News, 27 July 2022 Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin was on hand to affirm the president’s analogy and urge him to aim high. Elliot Kaufman, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 But the struggle to affirm the right to water and to build the systems to bring clean water to Native people has revealed long-standing inequities in water policy. AZCentral.com, 8 Aug. 2022 Put tangible resources behind efforts that affirm your employees’ excellent work and support their emotional and physical well-being. Tim Foot, Forbes, 19 July 2022 The plaintiffs asked the court to simply affirm Benitez’s ruling as in line with Bruen and allow the sale of military-style weapons in California again. Kevin Rectorstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2022 That can help people affirm their identities and ensure that their dead names are not being disclosed. Nerd Wallet, oregonlive, 9 July 2022 Support, plan and execute events to celebrate and affirm the gay community. Sherry Greenfield, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2022 Vitale was chosen for her work in implementing policies that actively affirm students, and is a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community. Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
alteration (conformed to Latin affirmāre) of Middle English affermen "to fix firmly, make steadfast, establish, confirm, assert," borrowed from Anglo-French afermer, affermer, going back to Latin affirmāre "to strengthen, confirm, assert positively," from ad- ad- + firmāre "to strengthen, fortify," derivative of firmus "strong, durable, firm entry 1"
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Kids Definition
affirm
verb
af·firm ə-ˈfərm
affirmed; affirming
: to declare that something is true
The man affirms that he is innocent.
Legal Definition
affirm
transitive verb
af·firm ə-ˈfərm
1
: to assert as true or factual
2
: to assert (as a judgment) as valid or confirmed
affirmed the lower court's ruling
compare remand, reverse intransitive verb
1
: to make a solemn declaration under the penalties of perjury in place of swearing an oath to which one conscientiously objects
2
: to uphold the judgment or actions of a lower court
the appeals court affirmed
affirming
verb
1
as in insisting
to state as a fact usually forcefully unwilling to affirm without further study that the painting is an original Rembrandt Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- insisting
- claiming
- alleging
- asserting
- maintaining
- declaring
- contending
- announcing
- proclaiming
- protesting
- arguing
- confirming
- averring
- professing
- purporting
- avowing
- reasoning
- warranting
- defending
- reaffirming
- putting forth
- justifying
- avouching
- broadcasting
- vindicating
- upholding
- rationalizing
- persevering
- reasserting
- supporting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- denying
- rejecting
- abandoning
- disavowing
- repudiating
- negating
- disclaiming
- questioning
- challenging
- refuting
- contradicting
- disputing
- disproving
- disowning
- rebutting
- gainsaying
- countering
- negativing
- confuting
2
as in declaring
to state clearly and strongly our business partner affirmed his trust in us, and we in turn promised not to let him down Synonyms & Similar Words
- declaring
- asserting
- proclaiming
- announcing
- professing
- saying
- guaranteeing
- explaining
- avowing
- averring
- justifying
- promoting
- defending
- upholding
- emphasizing
- assuring
- convincing
- reaffirming
- advertising
- pronouncing
- laying down
- stressing
- underscoring
- publicizing
- avouching
- advocating
- underlining
- advancing
- supporting
- accentuating
- boosting
- persuading
- accenting
- reasserting
- championing
- plugging
- rationalizing
- blazing
- espousing
- calling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minimizing
- ignoring
- disregarding
- overlooking
- understating
- neglecting