verb Uncommon

affirm

uh-FURM

Affirm (verb) means to state something confidently and firmly as true. Example: “He affirmed that he had never seen the document before.”

verb

To state something confidently and firmly as true.

"He affirmed that he had never seen the document before."

"She affirmed her commitment to the project despite the setbacks."

(law) To uphold or confirm a lower court’s decision on appeal.

"The appeals court affirmed the original ruling."

"The judge affirmed the sentence handed down by the lower court."

How to Use Affirm

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo say something is definitely true, or, in law, to formally uphold a previous decision.

Common pairings

affirm a decision affirm one’s belief

Word Forms

affirmed past tense, affirm plural, affirmed plural, affirms singular, affirm singular, affirmed singular, affirmest singular, affirmedst singular, affirmeth singular

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He _____ that he had never seen the document before.

Etymology

From Old French afermer, from Latin affirmare, "to make firm" — built from ad- plus firmus, "firm."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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validate

Antonyms

disaffirm deny repudiate invalidate

Related Words

pay choose prove confirm deny justify cancel reject

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “affirm” mean?

The word “affirm” means to state something confidently and firmly as true. In plain terms, to say something is definitely true, or, in law, to formally uphold a previous decision.

How do you pronounce “affirm”?

“Affirm” is pronounced uh-FURM (/əˈfɝm/ in IPA).

How do you use “affirm” in a sentence?

Here is “affirm” used in a sentence: “He affirmed that he had never seen the document before.”

What is another word for “affirm”?

Words with a similar meaning to “affirm” include validate.

What is the opposite of “affirm”?

The opposite of “affirm” — its antonyms — are disaffirm, deny, repudiate and invalidate.

What part of speech is “affirm”?

“Affirm” is a verb.

Where does the word “affirm” come from?

The word “affirm” comes from Latin. From Old French afermer, from Latin affirmare, "to make firm" — built from ad- plus firmus, "firm.".

Is “affirm” a common word?

“Affirm” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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