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 The Indiana Department of Administration is required to certify state vendor contracts are able to lawfully work in the U.S., according to the executive order. —Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025 Apple has also added a couple of extras, getting the M3 Ultra certified for 120Gbps Thunderbolt 5 (the M3 Max supports Thunderbolt 4) and supporting up to 512GB of RAM (M3 Max tops out at 128GB). —Ars Technica, 5 Mar. 2025 The petition — sponsored by Charlie Angus, a member of Parliament who has in the past called for Musk to be investigated over potential election interference — needed at least 500 signatures to be certified for presentation to the House of Commons. —Avery Lotz, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025 The organization offers training via members who are also certified as flight instructors, the group’s website says. —Dan Belson, Baltimore Sun, 24 Feb. 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
  • However, the study found that these content licensing deals did not guarantee accurate citation in chatbot responses.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The Constitution does not guarantee inmates a painless death.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of guarantee
Verb
  • Workshops, developer sessions, and technical tutorials enable professionals to learn about the latest tools and best practices.
    — Tim Bajarin, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Here, a magnetic field and mechanical compression are used to create fusion conditions, aka extreme heat, for compressing plasma inside a reactor to enable the production and extraction of energy.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of enable
Verb
  • Continue to fulfill your obligations and verify that those actions are properly recorded.
    — Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The new requirements will impact anyone who needs to verify their bank information with the agency, as well as families with children who receive Social Security benefits and cannot verify a child's information on the SSA website.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of verify
Verb
  • Subsequent studies appeared to affirm the correlation, strengthening the belief among the general public about the benefits of red wine.
    — Dylan Scott, Vox, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The Dalai Lama, in turn, affirms the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama after the officeholder dies.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of affirm
Verb
  • Condominiums could ‘invest’ reserves Bradley’s bill also would authorize creation of investment boards consisting of at least two governing condo board members and two unit owners.
    — Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Instead, Congress now routinely authorizes spending extensions for the fiscal year, using the previous year’s specific amounts if new spending isn’t agreed to.
    — Richard McGahey, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of authorize
Verb
  • Three days later, his immigration attorney was able to reach an ICE official who confirmed that his client was in a prison in another country.
    — Brian Bennett, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has confirmed Jung Hanseok will be its new festival director.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of confirm
Verb
  • Robot backflips are becoming commonplace, but a front flip is significantly more difficult than a backflip, as any gymnast can attest.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Three successive passes in close proximity, which could have caused the drone to lose control, attesting to a desire to restrict free air movement in common areas.
    — Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of attest
Verb
  • Having all these females that can empower people to not be like everyone else.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The Alien Enemies Act empowers presidents to apprehend and remove foreign nationals from countries that are at war with the United States.
    — Daniel Tichenor, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of empower

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Cite this Entry

“Certify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/certify. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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