"affirm" meaning in English

See affirm in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /əˈfɝm/ [General-American], /əˈfɜːm/ [Received-Pronunciation] Audio: en-us-affirm.ogg Forms: affirms [present, singular, third-person], affirming [participle, present], affirmed [participle, past], affirmed [past]
Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)m 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”). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*dʰer-}}, {{inh|en|enm|affermen}} Middle English affermen, {{der|en|fro|afermer}} Old French afermer, {{der|en|la|affirmare}} Latin affirmare Head templates: {{en-verb}} affirm (third-person singular simple present affirms, present participle affirming, simple past and past participle affirmed)
  1. To agree, verify or concur; to answer positively. Translations (to agree with or verify): потвърждавам (potvǎrždavam) (Bulgarian), 承认 (chéngrèn) (Chinese Mandarin), 肯定 (kěndìng) (Chinese Mandarin), bejae (Danish), vahvistaa (Finnish), afirmar (Galician), zustimmen (German), bejahen (German), bestätigen (German), βεβαιώ (vevaió) (Greek), επιβεβαιώνω (epivevaióno) (Greek), affermare (Italian), 肯定する (kōtei suru) (alt: こうていする) (Japanese), affirmō (Latin), dico (Latin), teigti (Lithuanian), whakakoikoia (Maori), whakakoia (Maori), whakatūturu (Maori), affermen (Middle English), potwierdzać [imperfective] (Polish), potwierdzić [perfective] (Polish), afirmować [imperfective] (Polish), afirmar (Portuguese), potvrditi (Serbo-Croatian), afirmar (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-affirm-en-verb-zUcelm4y Disambiguation of 'to agree with or verify': 55 5 11 13 16
  2. To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true.
    Sense id: en-affirm-en-verb-Bj-MRFY0 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 9 16 16 31 29
  3. To support or encourage. Translations (to support or encourage): поддържам (poddǎržam) (Bulgarian), vahvistaa (Finnish), tukea (Finnish), unterstützen (German), στηρίζω (stirízo) (Greek), affermare (Italian), dico (Latin), afirmować [imperfective] (Polish), afirmar (Portuguese), poduprijeti (Serbo-Croatian), afirmar (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-affirm-en-verb-C42u17ng Categories (other): English terms with collocations, English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 9 16 16 31 29 Disambiguation of 'to support or encourage': 2 1 94 1 2
  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. Categories (topical): Law
    Sense id: en-affirm-en-verb-fv1zElQ7 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 9 16 16 31 29
  5. (law) 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. Categories (topical): Law
    Sense id: en-affirm-en-verb-CHlmqRnH Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Cornish translations, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Galician translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Latin translations, Terms with Lithuanian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Manx translations, Terms with Maori translations, Terms with Middle English translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 9 16 16 31 29 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 7 16 15 26 36 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 6 17 13 28 36 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 5 15 14 23 43 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 7 16 13 22 42 Disambiguation of Terms with Cornish translations: 7 16 13 22 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 5 12 11 20 52 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 7 16 13 23 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Galician translations: 7 16 13 22 42 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 7 15 15 22 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 7 19 13 23 38 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 7 16 15 21 42 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 7 16 15 21 42 Disambiguation of Terms with Latin translations: 7 16 15 21 42 Disambiguation of Terms with Lithuanian translations: 7 16 13 21 43 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 7 16 12 26 39 Disambiguation of Terms with Manx translations: 7 16 13 22 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Maori translations: 7 16 13 22 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Middle English translations: 9 16 14 25 37 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 8 16 14 22 40 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 8 13 19 22 38 Disambiguation of Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations: 7 15 13 23 42 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 6 14 14 19 47 Topics: law
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: validate Related terms: affirmation, affirmative, action [affirmative], confirm

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "disaffirm"
    },
    {
      "english": "of 1, 2",
      "word": "deny"
    },
    {
      "english": "of 2",
      "word": "repudiate"
    },
    {
      "english": "of 4",
      "word": "invalidate"
    }
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "affirmability"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "affirmable"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "affirmance"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "affirmer"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "affirming the consequent"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "gender-affirming"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "life-affirming"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "misaffirm"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "open and affirming"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "reaffirm"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "unaffirmed"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dʰer-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "affermen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English affermen",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "afermer"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French afermer",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "affirmare"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin affirmare",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "affirms",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "affirming",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "affirmed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "affirmed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "affirm (third-person singular simple present affirms, present participle affirming, simple past and past participle affirmed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "affirmation"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "affirmative"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "affirmative"
      ],
      "word": "action"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "confirm"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She affirmed that she would go when I asked her.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To agree, verify or concur; to answer positively."
      ],
      "id": "en-affirm-en-verb-zUcelm4y",
      "links": [
        [
          "agree",
          "agree"
        ],
        [
          "verify",
          "verify"
        ],
        [
          "concur",
          "concur"
        ],
        [
          "positively",
          "positively"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "potvǎrždavam",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "потвърждавам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "chéngrèn",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "承认"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "kěndìng",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "肯定"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "bejae"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "vahvistaa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "afirmar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "zustimmen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "bejahen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "bestätigen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "vevaió",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "βεβαιώ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "epivevaióno",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "επιβεβαιώνω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "affermare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "alt": "こうていする",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "kōtei suru",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "肯定する"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "affirmō"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "dico"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "lt",
          "lang": "Lithuanian",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "teigti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "whakakoikoia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "whakakoia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "whakatūturu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "enm",
          "lang": "Middle English",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "affermen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "potwierdzać"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "potwierdzić"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "afirmować"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "afirmar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "potvrditi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "55 5 11 13 16",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to agree with or verify",
          "word": "afirmar"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
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        {
          "_dis": "9 16 16 31 29",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 25:19:",
          "text": "Jesus, […] whom Paul affirmed to be alive",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 August 21, Peter Plisner, “The changing role of our railway stations”, in RAIL, number 1016, page 62:",
          "text": "However, as anyone who knew Adrian Shooter would affirm, he very rarely took no for an answer.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true."
      ],
      "id": "en-affirm-en-verb-Bj-MRFY0",
      "links": [
        [
          "assert",
          "assert"
        ],
        [
          "aver",
          "aver"
        ]
      ]
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        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with collocations",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with collocations",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
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          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "gender-affirming; trans-affirming (LGBTQ+)",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "They did everything they could to affirm the children's self-confidence.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "August 24 2021, Shon Faye, “‘I feel like it’s quite shaky acceptance’: trans kids and the fight for inclusion”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To support or encourage."
      ],
      "id": "en-affirm-en-verb-C42u17ng",
      "links": [
        [
          "support",
          "support"
        ],
        [
          "encourage",
          "encourage"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "poddǎržam",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "поддържам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "vahvistaa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "tukea"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "unterstützen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "stirízo",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "στηρίζω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "affermare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "dico"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "afirmować"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "afirmar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "poduprijeti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 94 1 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to support or encourage",
          "word": "afirmar"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "en:Law",
          "parents": [
            "Justice",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 16 16 31 29",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "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."
      ],
      "id": "en-affirm-en-verb-fv1zElQ7",
      "links": [
        [
          "confirm",
          "confirm"
        ],
        [
          "ratify",
          "ratify"
        ],
        [
          "law",
          "law#English"
        ],
        [
          "appellate court",
          "appellate court"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
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          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "en:Law",
          "parents": [
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            "Society",
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            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
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          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Middle English translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 16 14 22 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 13 19 22 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 15 13 23 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "6 14 14 19 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "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."
      ],
      "id": "en-affirm-en-verb-CHlmqRnH",
      "links": [
        [
          "law",
          "law#English"
        ],
        [
          "truth",
          "truth"
        ],
        [
          "oath",
          "oath"
        ],
        [
          "swear",
          "swear"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(law) 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."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "law"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/əˈfɝm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/əˈfɜːm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-affirm.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2d/En-us-affirm.ogg/En-us-affirm.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/En-us-affirm.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)m"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "validate"
    }
  ],
  "word": "affirm"
}
{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "disaffirm"
    },
    {
      "english": "of 1, 2",
      "word": "deny"
    },
    {
      "english": "of 2",
      "word": "repudiate"
    },
    {
      "english": "of 4",
      "word": "invalidate"
    }
  ],
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English raising verbs",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old French",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰer-",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Bulgarian translations",
    "Requests for review of Cornish translations",
    "Requests for review of Manx translations",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)m",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)m/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Cornish translations",
    "Terms with Danish translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Galician translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Latin translations",
    "Terms with Lithuanian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Manx translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Middle English translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "affirmability"
    },
    {
      "word": "affirmable"
    },
    {
      "word": "affirmance"
    },
    {
      "word": "affirmer"
    },
    {
      "word": "affirming the consequent"
    },
    {
      "word": "gender-affirming"
    },
    {
      "word": "life-affirming"
    },
    {
      "word": "misaffirm"
    },
    {
      "word": "open and affirming"
    },
    {
      "word": "reaffirm"
    },
    {
      "word": "unaffirmed"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dʰer-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "affermen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English affermen",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "afermer"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French afermer",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "affirmare"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin affirmare",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "affirms",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "affirming",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "affirmed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "affirmed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "affirm (third-person singular simple present affirms, present participle affirming, simple past and past participle affirmed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "affirmation"
    },
    {
      "word": "affirmative"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "affirmative"
      ],
      "word": "action"
    },
    {
      "word": "confirm"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She affirmed that she would go when I asked her.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To agree, verify or concur; to answer positively."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "agree",
          "agree"
        ],
        [
          "verify",
          "verify"
        ],
        [
          "concur",
          "concur"
        ],
        [
          "positively",
          "positively"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 25:19:",
          "text": "Jesus, […] whom Paul affirmed to be alive",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 August 21, Peter Plisner, “The changing role of our railway stations”, in RAIL, number 1016, page 62:",
          "text": "However, as anyone who knew Adrian Shooter would affirm, he very rarely took no for an answer.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "assert",
          "assert"
        ],
        [
          "aver",
          "aver"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with collocations",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "gender-affirming; trans-affirming (LGBTQ+)",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "They did everything they could to affirm the children's self-confidence.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "August 24 2021, Shon Faye, “‘I feel like it’s quite shaky acceptance’: trans kids and the fight for inclusion”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To support or encourage."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "support",
          "support"
        ],
        [
          "encourage",
          "encourage"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Law"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "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."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "confirm",
          "confirm"
        ],
        [
          "ratify",
          "ratify"
        ],
        [
          "law",
          "law#English"
        ],
        [
          "appellate court",
          "appellate court"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Law"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "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."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "law",
          "law#English"
        ],
        [
          "truth",
          "truth"
        ],
        [
          "oath",
          "oath"
        ],
        [
          "swear",
          "swear"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(law) 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."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "law"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/əˈfɝm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/əˈfɜːm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-affirm.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2d/En-us-affirm.ogg/En-us-affirm.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/En-us-affirm.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)m"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "validate"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "potvǎrždavam",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "потвърждавам"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "chéngrèn",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "承认"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "kěndìng",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "肯定"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "bejae"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "vahvistaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "afirmar"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "zustimmen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "bejahen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "bestätigen"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "vevaió",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "βεβαιώ"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "epivevaióno",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "επιβεβαιώνω"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "affermare"
    },
    {
      "alt": "こうていする",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "kōtei suru",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "肯定する"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "affirmō"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "dico"
    },
    {
      "code": "lt",
      "lang": "Lithuanian",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "teigti"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "whakakoikoia"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "whakakoia"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "whakatūturu"
    },
    {
      "code": "enm",
      "lang": "Middle English",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "affermen"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "potwierdzać"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "potwierdzić"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "afirmować"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "afirmar"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "potvrditi"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to agree with or verify",
      "word": "afirmar"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "poddǎržam",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "поддържам"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "vahvistaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "tukea"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "unterstützen"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "stirízo",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "στηρίζω"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "affermare"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "dico"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "afirmować"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "afirmar"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "poduprijeti"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to support or encourage",
      "word": "afirmar"
    }
  ],
  "word": "affirm"
}

Download raw JSONL data for affirm meaning in English (9.8kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.