corroborate
kuh-ROB-uh-rayt
/kəˈrɒb.ə.reɪt/
To confirm, support, or make more certain with additional evidence or testimony.
Implies adding independent, secondary proof to an unverified assertion or single witness account.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'robur', referring to the core of a hard oak tree. 'Corroborare' literally meant to make as strong as an oak tree by joining forces.
Word relationships
- substantiate: 'Substantiate' means offering solid proof from scratch, while 'corroborate' means reinforcing existing claims with additional evidence.
- verify: 'Verify' means checking if something is true; 'corroborate' specifically means using supporting sources to back it up.
- contradict: Contradict provides evidence or statements opposing the initial claim.
- refute: Refute proves a statement or evidence to be false.
Commonly confused with
- collaborate: To 'collaborate' is to work together on a project; to 'corroborate' is to strengthen evidence or confirm facts.
Word family
- corroboration (noun): Evidence that confirms or supports a statement.
- corroborative (adjective): Serving to corroborate or confirm.
Collocations
- corroborate evidence
- corroborate a claim
- corroborate testimony
- independently corroborate
Example sentences
- "The investigative reporter refused to publish the allegations until a second independent witness could corroborate the story." Investigative verification
- "Satellite imagery was introduced during the trial to corroborate the whistleblower's testimony." Legal proceeding
Memory hook
CORROBORATE = Co-ROB-orate: make robust like an oak tree by adding solid evidence. Corroborate makes a claim robust.
When not to use
Do not use to mean simply agreeing with an opinion; it requires supporting objective facts or evidence.
Fun facts
- In journalism, the 'two-source rule' requires journalists to corroborate any major anonymous claim with at least two independent sources before publishing.
Related words
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