# confirm

/kənˈfɝm/ (US) · /kənfˈɜːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/confirm
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to verify information

verb · CEFR B1 · General-service

to say or show that something is definitely true or correct.

For teachers: to establish the truth or correctness of something previously believed, suspected, or stated.

- The police were able to confirm that the man was telling the truth.
- The latest laboratory results confirm the researchers' initial hypothesis regarding the chemical stability of the new compound.

Usage: Often followed by a 'that' clause or a noun phrase.

### 2. to make a plan final

verb · CEFR B1 · General-service

to make an arrangement or a meeting final.

For teachers: to make a provisional arrangement, appointment, or agreement definite and final.

- I am calling to confirm my hotel reservation for next Tuesday.
- The board of directors met yesterday to confirm the appointment of the new chief executive officer.

Usage: Commonly used in business contexts regarding bookings and appointments.

### 3. religious rite

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to welcome someone as a full member of a Christian church in a special ceremony.

For teachers: to administer the rite of confirmation to a person, admitting them to full church privileges.

- She was confirmed in the local cathedral when she was fourteen years old.
- The bishop visited the parish last Sunday to confirm twenty young members of the congregation.

Usage: Usually used in the passive voice when referring to the person receiving the rite.

### 4. definitely

adverb · CEFR C1 · Dialect · Informal · Slang

used to say that something is definitely going to happen or is true.

For teachers: used as a sentence-final or standalone particle to indicate absolute certainty.

- Don't worry, he will come for the party confirm.
- If you don't study for the final exam, you will fail confirm.

Usage: Typical of Singlish and Manglish; often placed at the end of a sentence.

Teaching tip: This adverbial use is specific to South East Asian English dialects like Singlish; it is not used this way in standard British or American English.

## Examples

- Please call the office to confirm your appointment.
- The laboratory results confirm that the water is safe for the local community to drink.
- While the initial data suggested a correlation, the researchers needed a larger sample size to confirm their hypothesis before publishing the final report.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.