Words / C1

k-uh-ROB-uh-rayt/kəˈrɒbəreɪt/

To corroborate is to give independent support to someone else’s account: a second witness corroborated the story. Confirm is everyday and can be the same person repeating themselves; corroborate wants a separate source. Back up is the spoken paraphrase. Corroboration is the noun. It is a court-and-research word; in a café, say that matches what I heard.

Meaning

To give information that supports what someone else has said.

Examples

• “A second witness corroborated the story.”
• “Email logs corroborated her timeline.”
• “Nothing in the archive corroborates the official version.”

Good to know

Independent support, not mere repetition. Everyday: back up / confirm. Noun: corroboration.

Near in meaning

confirm

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