Affirm vs Confirm
What’s the difference between them?
Affirm
Meaning:
To declare or assert positively; maintain as true; confirm or ratify.
Examples:
1. The court affirmed the lower court's decision.
2. She affirmed her commitment to helping the homeless.
3. His teacher affirmed his efforts with a thumbs up.
Confirm
Meaning:
Confirm means to make something certain or agreed upon.
Examples:
1. I need to confirm my flight reservations for tomorrow.
2. You must confirm your attendance to the event before the deadline.
3. The supervisor had to confirm that the product was of low quality.
Learn similar and opposite words to spot the difference
Synonyms
Antonyms
Affirm
Confirm
assert
Deny
Confirm
Verify
affirm
Deny
Tricks for mastery
Useful tips to understand the difference between confusing words "Affirm", "Confirm".
1. 'Affirm' often implies making a statement or assertion to validate or declare something as true, typically as an initial assurance.
2. 'Confirm' generally implies verifying or establishing the truth or accuracy of something, often as a subsequent or additional assurance.
3. 'Affirm' is often used in legal contexts, where one might affirm the truth of a statement or affirm that they will uphold certain responsibilities.
4. 'Confirm' is used more broadly in various contexts to indicate a check or verification, such as confirming an appointment or confirming receipt of a message.
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Frequently asked questions
When to use the first word?
The word 'affirm' is often used when someone wants to assert or support a statement or opinion they have expressed. It can be used in a legal setting to indicate agreement with a statement or to officially ratify a contract. It can also be used to show strong personal agreement with an assertion or belief.
When to use the second word?
The word 'confirm' is used to indicate that something has been established as true or verified. It can be used to refer to the verification of information through research or experiment, or to refer to the acceptance of something as true or correct. It can also be used to check that something is true or has happened.
Do the words have the same pronunciation?
No, the words do not have the same pronunciation. The word 'affirm' is pronounced with a long 'a' and the word 'confirm' with a short 'a'.
What are common mistakes associated with words 'affirm' and 'confirm'?
One common mistake is that people often confuse the two words and use them interchangeably. While both words are related to the idea of agreement or verification, they have slightly different meanings and should be used in the correct context. Another mistake is the use of the verb 'affirm' to refer to the verification of information, when 'confirm' is the correct word to use in this context.
Fill in the gaps to check yourself
1. Before we send out the invitations, we need to ______ the date of the event.
2. The judge will ______ the decision made by the jury.
3. Please ______ your attendance at the meeting by replying to the email.
4. The scientist was able to ______ the hypothesis through a series of experiments.
5. The speaker will ______ the importance of mental health in the upcoming seminar.
6. Can you ______ if the train is arriving on time?
1. Answer: confirm
Explanation: Confirm is used here because it refers to verifying or making sure of a particular detail, which is the date of the event in this case.
2. Answer: affirm
Explanation: Affirm is used in the context of formally declaring or upholding a decision, which fits the legal context provided by the mention of the judge and jury.
3. Answer: confirm
Explanation: Confirm is used here because it refers to verifying attendance, which is a specific detail, by replying to the email.
4. Answer: confirm
Explanation: Confirm is used in the context of establishing the truth or correctness of a fact or theory, which is the hypothesis in this case.
5. Answer: affirm
Explanation: Affirm is used here because it refers to stating or asserting positively, which fits the context of emphasizing the importance of mental health in the seminar.
6. Answer: confirm
Explanation: Confirm is used here because it refers to verifying a particular detail, which is the trains arrival time in this case.
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Download the PDF with a list of commonly confused words made as flashcards for comfortable learning.
List of Commonly Confused Words
Finding your way around the English language can be hard, especially since there are so many confusing words and rules. So, a list of the most confusing words in English is an extremely useful tool for improving language accuracy and sharing the ideas clearly.