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Confirm vs Approve - What's the difference?

confirm | approve |

Approve is a synonym of confirm.



As verbs the difference between confirm and approve

is that confirm is to strengthen; to make firm or resolute while approve is to sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm.

confirm

English

Alternative forms

* confirme (obsolete)

Verb

(en verb)
  • To strengthen; to make firm or resolute.
  • (Christianity) To administer the sacrament of confirmation on (someone).
  • * 1971 , , Religion and the Decline of Magic , Folio Society 2012, p. 35:
    • Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII, was baptized and confirmed at the age of three days.
  • To assure the accuracy of previous statements.

    • Antonyms

    * infirm * disconfirm * deny * dispute * contradict * question

    Related terms

    * confirmability * confirmation

    See also

    * verify * corroborate * establish * prove

    External links

    * * * English reporting verbs

    approve

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) . Compare prove, approbate.

    Verb

    (approv)
  • To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Can China clean up fast enough? , passage=It has jailed environmental activists and is planning to limit the power of judicial oversight by handing a state-approved body a monopoly over bringing environmental lawsuits.}}
  • To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.
  • To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
  • * (Ralph Waldo Emerson),
    • Opportunities to approve worth.
  • * (Thomas Babington Macaulay),
    • He had approved himself a great warrior.
  • * (George Gordon Byron),
    • 'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true.
  • * (Francis Parkman),
    • His accountapproves him a man of thought.
  • To consider or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance.
  • * (Henry Rogers),
    • The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God.
  • * (Thomas Babington Macaulay),
    • They had not approved of the deposition of James.
  • * (William Black),
    • They approved of the political institutions.
    Note: This word, when it signifies to be pleased with, to think favorably (of''), is often followed by ''of .
    Derived terms
    () * approval * approvable * I approve this message * approvably * approbation

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) aprouer; . Compare with improve.

    Verb

    (approv)
  • (English Law) To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit;—said especially of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.

    • References

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