confirmation

[ kon-fer-mey-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance of confirming, or of establishing someone or something, as by verifying, approving, or corroborating:

   The study is an attempt at the scientific confirmation of previous anecdotal results.

   The nomination and confirmation of this candidate as Court of Appeals Judge is a step in the right direction.

2. Religion.
   1. a rite in some Christian churches, in which baptized individuals profess their faith, are accorded status as full members, and, in some denominations, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
   2. a solemn ceremony among Reform and certain Conservative Jews, admitting young people to adult membership in the Jewish community after completion of a prescribed course of study.
3. something that confirms, confirm, as a corroborative statement or piece of evidence:

   His birth certificate served as confirmation of his citizenship.

confirmation

/ ˌkɒnfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of confirming
2. something that confirms; verification
3. a rite in several Christian churches that confirms a baptized person in his or her faith and admits him or her to full participation in the church
4. (in the philosophy of science) the relationship between an observation and the theory which it supposedly renders more probable Compare hypothetico-deductive

Other Words From

• con·fir·ma·tion·al adjective
• non·con·fir·ma·tion noun
• pre·con·fir·ma·tion noun
• re·con·fir·ma·tion noun
• self-con·fir·ma·tion noun
• su·per·con·fir·ma·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of confirmation¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French and Latin confirmātiōn-, stem of confirmātiō; confirm, -ation

Example Sentences

Republican Senator Susan Collins said she had found some of Kennedy's "statements to be alarming" but said she would grant him a fair hearing during confirmation proceedings.

From BBC

See Tickets later said that "confirmation emails are going out now to everyone who got @Glastonbury coach tickets this evening" in a post on X.

From BBC

“I imagine this will be a big topic of discussion in the confirmation hearings… I feel very comfortable with RFK Jr. having a significant seat at the table to lead big debates about this.”

From Salon

But the industry has still reacted with shock and dismay at the confirmation it was no longer going ahead.

From BBC

There will be sterner tests of Trump’s power on Capitol Hill to come, notably when confirmation hearings are held for his more divisive cabinet picks.

From BBC

Related Words

• acceptance
• admission
• affirmation
• approval
• authorization
• consent
• corroboration
• endorsement
• evidence
• green light
• passage
• recognition
• testimony
• verification