[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/affirm/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [A](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/a/) / affirm

# affirm

verb (affirm, affirms, affirmed, affirming)

«affirm» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To affirm something is to say firmly and clearly that it is true. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#m1)
2. To affirm a person is to support and encourage them, telling them they are valued. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#m2)
3. (law, formal) To affirm is to make a solemn promise to tell the truth in court without swearing on a holy book. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#m3)
4. (law) A higher court affirms a decision when it agrees that the decision was right. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#m4)

### In the lessons

In ethics and PSHE lessons affirming someone means saying kind, true things that build them up. In law lessons people may «swear» on a Bible or «affirm» instead. In church, people affirm their faith by saying the creed. Phrases: affirm the truth, affirm your faith, an affirmation.

### Examples

- The witness affirmed that she had seen the car. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x1)
- Our teacher affirmed that the answer was correct. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x2)
- Saying «You worked so hard» affirms your friend's effort. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x3)
- In court, he chose to affirm rather than swear on the Bible. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x4)
- The church members affirmed their faith by saying the creed together. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x5)
- The higher court affirmed the judge's decision. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x6)
- Write three sentences that affirm what you are good at. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x7)
- “And I am that man,” his companion affirmed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/#x8)

### Note

Noun: affirmation; adjective: affirmative (an affirmative answer = yes). Do not confuse with «confirm» (check or prove that something is true or booked), though they are close. Opposite: deny.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «affirm» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/affirm/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«affirm» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/affirm.html) on Mova free.