ENGLISH
REFERENCE

affirm

v.
C1 Advanced US //əˈfɝm// UK //ɐfˈɜːm// af·firm

v. to state that something is true or to show your strong support for an idea. You use this when you want to confirm a fact or a belief in a formal way.

v. to state as a fact or to assert strongly and publicly. Often used in legal or formal contexts to validate a previous decision or to express commitment to a set of values.


SIMPLE

The witness will affirm that the statement is true.

CONTEXTUAL

The court's decision served to affirm the rights of local residents to access the park.

COMPLEX

The CEO used the annual meeting to affirm the company's commitment to environmental sustainability, outlining several new initiatives designed to reduce their carbon footprint.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English affermen, from Old French afermer, affermer, from Latin affirmare, adfirmare (“to present as fixed, aver, affirm”), from ad (“to”) + firmare (“to make firm”), from firmus (“firm”).

Usage

The verb is transitive and typically takes a direct object or a 'that' clause.

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