certify

verb

ˈsər-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce certify (audio)
Definition of certifynext
1
as in to guarantee
to declare (something) to be true or genuine experts certified the letter as indeed having been written by Abraham Lincoln

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to enable
to give official or legal power to certified her as a teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to verify
to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of please bring in a doctor's note to certify that you were really sick

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb certify contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of certify are attest, vouch, and witness. While all these words mean "to testify to the truth or genuineness of something," certify usually applies to a written statement, especially one carrying a signature or seal.

certified that the candidate had met all requirements

When would attest be a good substitute for certify?

The meanings of attest and certify largely overlap; however, attest applies to oral or written testimony usually from experts or witnesses.

attested to the authenticity of the document

In what contexts can vouch take the place of certify?

In some situations, the words vouch and certify are roughly equivalent. However, vouch applies to one who testifies as a competent authority or a reliable person.

willing to vouch for her integrity

When could witness be used to replace certify?

Although the words witness and certify have much in common, witness applies to the subscribing of one's own name to a document as evidence of its genuineness.

witnessed the signing of the will

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of certify When choosing a supplement, look for products independently tested or certified by organizations such as NSF, U.S. Pharmacopeia, or ConsumerLab.com. —Karen Berger, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 11 Apr. 2025 Francine Kiefer/The Christian Science Monitor A time to listen The Army Corps uses arborists certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. —Francine Kiefer, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2025 And the unit also trained and certified doctors to read specialized lung scans. —Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025 Pence would not refuse to certify the 2020 election results, which showed that Joe Biden beat Trump, as Trump asked. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for certify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for certify
  1. guarantee
  2. enable
  3. verify
  4. affirm
  5. authorize
  6. confirm
  7. attest
  8. empower
Verb
  • Unlike the drama and comedy series races, which are guaranteed eight nominees regardless of submission count, the limited series category uses a proportional system.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The game is almost guaranteed to be over when Emmanuel Clase comes in, but the All-Star closer did not have his best stuff.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of guarantee
Verb
  • Archer Aviation Archer's efforts to secure what's called 'Type Certification' from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Midnight could enable the eVTOL company to operate out of major airports.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Phishing attacks often attempt to get people to share personal information, like Social Security numbers, which enables criminals to access finances.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of enable
Verb
  • But now, the SSA is changing that policy, which a White House official told CBS MoneyWatch is due to the rollout of anti-fraud software that will be able to identify anomalies and flag potential fraud when people verify their identities over the phones.
    — Anne Marie Drummond Lee, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The most recent press release on the matter, dated March 26, announced that many claimants would no longer be able to verify their identity with the SSA by phone.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of verify
Verb
  • On the bench, like a trainer hyping up a boxer, Murray’s Denver Nuggets teammates continuously affirmed him, telling him to keep his head up, assuring him that good things would eventually start to happen.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Heineken reported first-quarter revenue growth that beat analysts’ expectations on Wednesday morning and affirmed its full-year guidance despite the tariff risks.
    — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of affirm
Verb
  • The settlement would authorize colleges to directly pay athletes via a share up to 22% of the average power conference athletic media, ticket and sponsorship revenue with their athletes, with $20.5 million expected to be the initial annual cap.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Apr. 2025
  • This designation authorizes the federal government to take further steps to deny people and entities associated with these cartels access to the United States financial system.
    — Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of authorize
Verb
  • Production on new episodes began in January, with Elordi, Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney among the other cast members confirmed to return.
    — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • He was pronounced dead by a physician at 6:05 p.m., the South Carolina Department of Corrections confirmed to CBS News.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of confirm
Verb
  • As his more experimental solo records attest — and which went unrepresented on Thursday — White is guilty of being inconsistent.
    — Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Drinking more water really is key to glowing skin, an extra few hours of sleep does more… Accessorize Pearl Jam Pearls are back, as one look at the Paris runways will attest.
    — Michael Odell, Air Mail, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of attest
Verb
  • Employees with a knack for technology or analytical skills can be trained and empowered to take on more technical roles.
    — Brad Smith, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Be Specific and Objective Feedback is a pivotal tool in empowering growth.
    — Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of empower

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certifies
certify
certifying
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Cite this Entry

“Certify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/certify. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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