Guide 130 / 200 5 swaps Formal register

Professional words for “confirm”

Five verbs for settling a fact.

i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler

"Confirm" is neutral. "Verify" implies checking against a source; "validate" implies meeting a standard; "corroborate" is for independent support; "substantiate" is for providing evidence; "establish" is for putting beyond doubt.

ii · The swaps5 ways

01

Verify neutral

check against the source

Verify the figures against the ledger.
02

Validate neutral

check against a standard

Validate the model on held-out data.
03

Corroborate formal

independent support for a claim

Logs corroborate the user’s account.
04

Substantiate formal

provide evidence

Substantiate the expense with receipts.
05

Establish formal

put beyond reasonable doubt

The audit established the timeline.