Definition of attestnext
1
as in to certify
to declare (something) to be true or genuine the appraiser attests that the lamp is indeed an original Tiffany

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to testify
to make a solemn declaration under oath for the purpose of establishing a fact an eyewitness who will attest to my innocence

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb attest contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of attest are certify, vouch, and witness. While all these words mean "to testify to the truth or genuineness of something," attest applies to oral or written testimony usually from experts or witnesses.

attested to the authenticity of the document

When would certify be a good substitute for attest?

The words certify and attest can be used in similar contexts, but certify usually applies to a written statement, especially one carrying a signature or seal.

certified that the candidate had met all requirements

When could vouch be used to replace attest?

The meanings of vouch and attest largely overlap; however, vouch applies to one who testifies as a competent authority or a reliable person.

willing to vouch for her integrity

When is witness a more appropriate choice than attest?

Although the words witness and attest have much in common, witness applies to the subscribing of one's own name to a document as evidence of its genuineness.

witnessed the signing of the will

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of attest Only medical reasons can be used in justifying concurrent surrogacy, and a qualified physician must attest to them in writing. Arthur L. Caplan, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026 But winning is infectious and fuels a desire for more, as Griffin can attest to. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 17 Aug. 2026 The range in itself attests to the varied ramifications of Brancusi’s corpus. Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Aug. 2026 Witherspoon's deal is in quarterback territory, and Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold can attest to that. Armando Salguero, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attest
Verb
  • Twenty-eight million views on YouTube certified the bizarre piece as a fan favorite.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Among the various green commitments and innovations of note, all of Explora’s ships are RINA Dolphin-certified for their low-level of underwater noise emissions, which helps preserve marine life.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Witnesses had testified to the heated gang rivalry between the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru, which were associated with dueling record companies Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records.
    Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Patrick Clancy, her then-husband who found his three children after they were strangled, testified early in the trial.
    Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Meta is also promising to do a better job of verifying users' ages and has agreed to report regularly to an independent auditor.
    Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Similar efforts to make quantum hardware more resilient include quantum chips designed to verify their own hardware, showing how reliability is becoming a problem that researchers are tackling at several levels.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • However, this is standard practice, and a hard credit inquiry is necessary for verification purposes and to guarantee your mortgage interest rate.
    Dan Simms, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • If a vested veteran - a player with four or more years of NFL experience - is on the active, or inactive roster for the first game of the season their entire contract becomes guaranteed.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The department later confirmed that the area was secure and that no further threat to the public remained.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Also Tuesday, just after court was dismissed, Dawn Light, 56, of Sutton, Massachusetts, was arrested outside the courthouse in Plymouth, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police confirmed.
    Blayne Alexander, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Yet the pandemic affirms Prem’s view that the public and private sectors need to work together in a health crisis.
    Angelica Ang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Billboard on Tuesday also affirmed its goal to be transparent about what songs on its chart were made with AI, working with Luminate’s new proprietary AI detector to determine which songs that rank on its charts are made with the technology.
    Corbin Bolies, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Some officials argue that would let Iceland keep control of its waters, since no EU country has fished there for decades.
    Reuters, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026
  • While that figure was low, the researchers argued that even a small risk of unintended weapons use could be unacceptable in sensitive maritime confrontations.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Anyone who witnessed the fatal incident Friday is asked to come forward with evidence.
    Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes a challenge alleges there’s a technical defect in the will, such as that it wasn’t properly witnessed.
    Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attest. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!