English Reference
noun

verification

n.
US /ˌvɛɹəfəˈkeɪʃən/ UK /vˌɛɹɪfɪkˈeɪʃən/ ver·i·fi·ca·tion UK spelling verifications

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of checking that something is true or correct.

    the process of establishing the truth, accuracy, or validity of a statement or fact.

    Simple

    The bank requires verification of your identity before you can open an account.

    In context

    The journalist spent weeks on the verification of the source's claims before the newspaper agreed to publish the controversial story.

    refutationdenial
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    a technical process to prove you are who you say you are, often using a code or document.

    the procedure of authenticating a user's identity or the integrity of data in a digital system.

    Simple

    I received a verification code on my phone to log into my email.

    In context

    The system implements multi-factor verification to ensure that sensitive financial data remains inaccessible to unauthorised users.

    Usage

    Often used in the phrase 'two-step verification'.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced FormalTechnical Law

    a formal statement or piece of evidence that proves something is legal or official.

    a formal confirmation by evidence or a sworn statement used to authenticate a legal plea or document.

    Simple

    The lawyer asked for official verification of the contract signatures.

    In context

    The court required independent verification of the forensic evidence before the trial could proceed to the next phase.

    authenticationattestation
  4. 04 C1 Advanced Technical Math

    testing a math problem to see if the answer is correct.

    the operation of testing an equation or solution to ensure it satisfies the original conditions of a problem.

    Simple

    After solving the equation, the student performed a quick verification of the result.

    In context

    The verification of the theorem required a complex series of simulations to account for every possible variable in the dataset.

In an unsigned statement , it described a “short-term social experiment” to examine how fake polling “could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification”.

The Guardian· 21 Aug 2026

A look at how a verification system could be designed offers some insight into some of the technical challenges AI agents are poised to introduce.

The Conversation· 13 Aug 2026

From Middle French verification (modern French vérification) or its etymon Medieval Latin vērificātiō. By surface analysis, verificate + -ion.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin la-med vērificātiō
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated