Dictionary

affirm en · INTJ

Pronunciation

• /əˈfɜːm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈfɝm/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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”). By surface analysis, af- + firm.

Meanings

1. Yes; true; correct.

Relateds

action · confirm

affirm en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈfɜːm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈfɝm/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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”). By surface analysis, af- + firm.

Meanings

1. To agree, verify or concur; to answer positively.
   • She affirmed that she would go when I asked her.
2. To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true.
   • However, as anyone who knew Adrian Shooter would affirm, he very rarely took no for an answer. 2024 August 21, Peter Plisner, “The changing role of our railway stations”, in RAIL, number 1016, page 62:
   • Jesus, […] whom Paul affirmed to be alive 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 25:19:
3. To support or encourage.
   • Kate pointed out that these similarities between the various accounts of parents with trans children attracts criticism from those commentators who argue that trans children do not exist or should not be affirmed in their gender. 2021 August 24, Shon Faye, “‘I feel like it’s quite shaky acceptance’: trans kids and the fight for inclusion”, in The Guardian:
   • gender-affirming; trans-affirming
   • They did everything they could to affirm the children's self-confidence.
4. To make firm; to confirm, or ratify; especially (law) to assert or confirm, as a judgment, decree, or order, brought before an appellate court for review.
5. To state under a solemn promise to tell the truth which is considered legally equivalent to an oath, especially of those who have religious or other moral objections to swearing oaths; also solemnly affirm.

Forms

Antonyms

repudiate · invalidate · disaffirm · deny

Deriveds

affirmability · unaffirmed · affirmer · life-affirming · gender-affirming · reaffirm · affirming the consequent · affirmable · affirmance · misaffirm · open and affirming

Relateds

affirmative · affirmation

Synonyms

validate · protest

Translations (40)

it affermare (to support or encourage) · de zustimmen (to agree with or verify) · bg потвърждавам (to agree with or verify) · ru подтверждать (to agree with or verify) · de bestätigen (to agree with or verify) · es afirmar (to support or encourage) · bg поддържам (to support or encourage) · cmn 承认 (to agree with or verify) · pt afirmar (to support or encourage) · de unterstützen (to support or encourage) · gl afirmar (to agree with or verify) · pl afirmować (to support or encourage) · pl potwierdzać (to agree with or verify) · sh poduprijeti (to support or encourage) · fi vahvistaa (to agree with or verify) · pt afirmar (to agree with or verify) · fi vahvistaa (to support or encourage) · la affirmō (to agree with or verify) · mi whakatūturu (to agree with or verify) · de bejahen (to agree with or verify) · enm affermen (to agree with or verify) · pl afirmować (to agree with or verify) · cmn 肯定 (to agree with or verify) · la dico (to agree with or verify) · el βεβαιώ (to agree with or verify) · tr onaylamak (to agree with or verify) · mi whakakoikoia (to agree with or verify) · eo atesti (to agree with or verify) · lt teigti (to agree with or verify) · ja 肯定する (to agree with or verify) · it affermare (to agree with or verify) · sh potvrditi (to agree with or verify) · el στηρίζω (to support or encourage) · pl potwierdzić (to agree with or verify) · da bejae (to agree with or verify) · fi tukea (to support or encourage) · la dico (to support or encourage) · es afirmar (to agree with or verify) · mi whakakoia (to agree with or verify) · el επιβεβαιώνω (to agree with or verify)