I cannot confirm that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I cannot confirm that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are not sure of the accuracy of something, or when you need to say that you do not have definitive information on a topic. For example: "I cannot confirm that the shipment will arrive on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

"I cannot confirm that [report]," she said.

The Guardian - Sport

MCCABE: I cannot confirm that request was made.

The Washington Post

I cannot confirm that sentence about 1941-42, and I cannot imagine that I expressed myself in that way during the interrogation.

Yale University

I cannot confirm that, but the image, which is taken from quite far away, shows a tall pillar of white smoke rising in front of the temple.

The New York Times

Judge Mukasey declined to reverse himself, insisting that if Mr. Padilla were not permitted to see his lawyers and respond to the allegations against him, "I cannot confirm that Padilla has not been arbitrarily detained".

The New York Times

I cannot confirm that.But I think the biggest lesson, perhaps, was not the usual story about EU disunity.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

The analysis cannot confirm that Vioxx is uniquely dangerous or Celebrex uniquely safe.

The New York Times - Health

The current evidences cannot confirm that high-flexion prostheses are superior to conventional prostheses.

The Journal of Arthroplasty

White House press secretary Josh Earnest has said he cannot confirm that Emwazi is dead until the Pentagon does.

The Guardian

We cannot confirm that Fomalhaut b exhibits 0.7 0.8 mag variability cited as evidence for planet accretion or a semi-transient dust cloud.

Princeton University

"We cannot confirm that, of course, but we predict that consumers will need to be flexible when searching for craft beers".

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "I cannot confirm that" with a brief explanation of why you cannot confirm, providing context without spreading misinformation.

Common error

Avoid simply stating "I cannot confirm that" without explaining why. Providing a brief reason, such as "due to lack of information" or "because it's outside my area of expertise", adds transparency and helps the audience understand your position.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I cannot confirm that" serves as a declarative statement expressing an inability to verify or validate a piece of information. This function is evident in the examples provided by Ludwig, where individuals in various contexts, ranging from news reports to legal testimonies, use the phrase to indicate a lack of definitive knowledge or supporting evidence.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Academia

14%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I cannot confirm that" is a versatile phrase used to express an inability to verify information, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples from diverse sources like news media, academic texts, and scientific publications. It serves to convey uncertainty or a lack of validation, often to avoid making inaccurate statements. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically correct and is frequently used in neutral contexts, particularly in news and media. For clarity, it is best practice to provide additional context when using this phrase. Some alternatives are "I'm unable to verify that" and "I have no confirmation of that".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I'm unable to verify that

Changes the wording to "unable to verify", focusing on the lack of ability to confirm.

I can't verify that information

Replaces "confirm" with "verify" and specifies "that information", adding slight emphasis.

I'm not in a position to confirm that

Indicates a lack of authority or access to confirm, rather than a lack of certainty.

I have no confirmation of that

Shifts the focus to the absence of confirmation, rather than the speaker's action.

I don't have enough information to confirm that

Highlights the lack of sufficient information as the reason for not confirming.

I cannot corroborate that

Uses "corroborate" instead of "confirm", implying a need for supporting evidence.

That's unconfirmed

Presents the statement as generally unconfirmed, without directly involving the speaker.

I'm hesitant to confirm that

Expresses reluctance or caution in confirming the information.

I'm not prepared to confirm that

Indicates unwillingness to confirm, possibly due to policy or discretion.

I neither confirm nor deny that

A more formal and evasive way of neither confirming nor denying a statement.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says "I cannot confirm that"?

It means the person is unable to verify the truth or accuracy of a statement, often due to a lack of personal knowledge or sufficient evidence. It's a way to avoid spreading potentially incorrect information.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "I cannot confirm that"?

Use "I cannot confirm that" when you don't have direct knowledge or enough information to verify something. It's suitable in situations where you want to be cautious and avoid making false statements.

What can I say instead of "I cannot confirm that"?

You can use alternatives like "I'm unable to verify that", "I have no confirmation of that", or "That's unconfirmed" depending on the context.

Is "I cannot confirm that" the same as "I deny that"?

No, "I cannot confirm that" means you lack the information to verify a statement, while "I deny that" means you assert that the statement is false. They have opposite meanings. "I cannot confirm that" implies neutrality, while "I deny that" implies disagreement.