Corroborate

Corroborate is a verb meaning to provide evidence or testimony that confirms or strengthens a statement, theory, or finding. Corroborating evidence supports the truth of a claim by adding independent lines of evidence that align with the original assertion. The noun form is corroboration.

Etymology and usage notes: corroborate comes from Latin corroborare, from con- “together” and robur “strength,” literally meaning to strengthen together. The term has been used in English since the 15th century and remains common in legal, scientific, and journalistic contexts.

Applications in law, science, and journalism: In law, corroboration refers to additional evidence that strengthens a witness’s testimony or a claim, and some jurisdictions require corroboration for certain offenses or types of testimony. In science, corroboration denotes independent verification or replication of results, contributing to the credibility of a finding. In journalism and everyday language, corroboration involves verifying information from multiple independent sources before accepting it as true.

Nuances and usage notes: Corroboration emphasizes support from new, independent evidence rather than mere repetition of the same assertion. It does not by itself guarantee truth but increases the likelihood of accuracy by reducing reliance on a single source. The related noun corroborator is rarely used; the focus is on the corroborating evidence or testimony.

See also: corroboration, corroborate.