confirm

Confirm is a verb that means to establish the truth or correctness of something, to endorse or authorize it, or to acknowledge receipt or completion of a task.

Etymology: from Latin confirmare, con- “together” + firmare “to make firm.”

In everyday use, people confirm information they have been given, confirm a meeting, or confirm that a payment has been received. In science, researchers confirm results by repeating experiments and cross-checking data. In communications, a message may be confirmed or acknowledged.

Computing and user interfaces use confirmation prompts to prevent accidental actions, such as “Are you sure?” dialogs before deleting data. In software design, a confirmed action is considered irreversible or requiring extra approval. In databases and networks, confirmation can refer to an acknowledgment of receipt or a successful transaction.

In logic, confirmation relates to the evaluation of evidence in support of a hypothesis, a concept closely related to verification and falsification, though philosophers distinguish confirmation from proof. The term emphasizes strengthening belief or assurance rather than establishing absolute certainty.

See also: verify, verification, confirmation bias.