affirm

USAGE SUMMARY

'affirm' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it when you want to express your agreement with something or someone. For example, "I affirm the decision made by the school board."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

So the question on the ballot paper will invite voters to affirm that they want to stay in the European Union rather than ask whether they want to leave.

The Guardian - Opinion

Stories grounded in the landscape also loom large, in customs such as choosing the gleaning queen when the harvest is brought in, or bumping heads against boundary stones to affirm the limits of the local world.

The Guardian - Books

Surprisingly, he voted to uphold whole-life sentences in England and Wales – surprising because, three years earlier, in another case at the European court, he had said: "I consider that the time has come when the court should clearly affirm that the imposition of an irreducible life sentence, even on an adult offender, is in principle inconsistent with article three of the convention".

The Guardian

Five-thousand members of the Women's Institute have gathered to mark 100 years of their foundation, and as the defiant "Ladies Toilett" signs stuck on the doors of the gents' affirm, for one day at least, this is decidedly a women's world.

The Guardian

Rather, "there will be cases where, when couples marry to access benefits and then affirm their relationship publicly, discrimination in the wider community may follow," he says.

The Guardian - Money

Not only is this dubious parenting proposal, wherein the GOP would formally affirm an alleged moral deficiency of gay Americans, necessarily at odds with the recommendations of the Preibus report, but it pits party leadership at odds with a majority of Americans.

The Guardian - Opinion

Looking out over a sea of hands on a recent school visit, I felt a warm rush of elation at the sight of every single pupil raising their arm to affirm that they were a feminist.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The former White House hopeful has written to the Swiss consulate asking to withdraw her citizenship request just two days after it was first reported that she had taken steps to affirm it.

The Guardian

And he will surely use his UN address to affirm his support for the world body, and more generally for multilateral diplomacy.

The Economist

Recent monthly reports have recounted a truly dismal pace of job creation for so robust an economic recovery, and opinion polls affirm that this is by far President Bush's weakest point.

The Economist

Not only did the generals, both in their early 60s, affirm the army's commitment to the goals of the revolution, including a swift transition to democracy under civilian rule.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "affirm" when you want to express a strong agreement or confirmation, especially in formal or official contexts. For example, "The court affirmed the lower court's decision."

Common error

While "affirm" is a valid word, using it too frequently in informal settings can make your writing sound overly formal or unnatural. Opt for simpler alternatives like "agree" or "confirm" in everyday conversations.

Linguistic Context

Affirm functions primarily as a verb, indicating an act of confirming, supporting, or declaring something to be true. Ludwig provides many examples demonstrating its use in various contexts, supporting this function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "affirm" is a versatile verb used to express agreement, validation, or confirmation. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in formal settings like news and business. While it's suitable for various contexts, it's advisable to use simpler alternatives in informal conversations. Common synonyms include "confirm", "assert", and "declare", each with slightly different nuances. Remember to reserve "affirm" for situations where you want to express a strong sense of agreement or support. It's a word that adds a level of formality and confidence to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

confirm

Implies verifying the truth or correctness of something.

assert

Indicates stating something confidently and forcefully.

declare

Suggests announcing something formally or officially.

maintain

Emphasizes persistently asserting something, even in the face of opposition.

attest

Involves providing evidence or testimony to support the truth of something.

corroborate

Indicates strengthening or supporting something with additional evidence.

substantiate

Implies providing solid evidence to prove the validity of something.

endorse

Suggests publicly supporting or approving of something.

ratify

Implies formally approving or sanctioning something.

uphold

Means to maintain or defend something, especially a principle or law.

FAQs

How can I use "affirm" in a sentence?

You can use "affirm" to express agreement, confirmation, or support. For example, "I "affirm" my commitment to this project," or "The data "affirm" the hypothesis."

What are some alternatives to "affirm"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "confirm", "assert", "declare", or "maintain".

Is it correct to use "affirm" in both formal and informal settings?

While "affirm" is grammatically correct in both settings, it's generally more appropriate for formal contexts. In informal situations, simpler words like "agree" or "confirm" may be more suitable.

What's the difference between "affirm" and "confirm"?

"Affirm" implies a strong and confident statement of truth or agreement, while "confirm" suggests verifying the accuracy or correctness of something. "I "affirm" my belief in this cause" expresses stronger support than "I "confirm" the details of the meeting".