SUBSTANTIATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does substantiate mean? 

• SUBSTANTIATE (verb)
  The verb SUBSTANTIATE has 4 senses:

1. establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts

2. represent in bodily form

3. make real or concrete; give reality or substance to

4. solidify, firm, or strengthen

  Familiarity information: SUBSTANTIATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SUBSTANTIATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they substantiate    ... he / she / it substantiates   
Past simple: substantiated   
Past participle: substantiated   
-ing form: substantiating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

affirm; confirm; corroborate; substantiate; support; sustain

Context example:

The evidence supports the defendant

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "substantiate"):

back; back up (establish as valid or genuine)

vouch (give supporting evidence)

verify (confirm the truth of)

demonstrate; establish; prove; shew; show (establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment)

document (support or supply with references)

validate (prove valid; show or confirm the validity of something)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

substantiation (the act of validating; finding or testing the truth of something)

substantiation (additional proof that something that was believed (some fact or hypothesis or theory) is correct)

substantiative (serving to support or corroborate)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Represent in bodily form

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

body forth; embody; incarnate; substantiate

Context example:

The painting substantiates the feelings of the artist

Hypernyms (to "substantiate" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make real or concrete; give reality or substance to

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

actualise; actualize; realise; realize; substantiate

Context example:

our ideas must be substantiated into actions

Hypernyms (to "substantiate" is one way to...):

create; make (make or cause to be or to become)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "substantiate"):

incarnate (make concrete and real)

express (manifest the effects of (a gene or genetic trait))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Solidify, firm, or strengthen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The president's trip will substantiate good relations with the former enemy country

Hypernyms (to "substantiate" is one way to...):

beef up; fortify; strengthen (make strong or stronger)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

This gene may play a role in tumor cells and immune system interactions; however this function has not been substantiated.

(DMBT1 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes cell surface A33 antigen protein, plays a role in cell adhesion or may be involved in cell surface receptor regulation; however these roles have not been substantiated.

(GPA33 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes CAMPATH-1 antigen immunoprotein, plays a role in inflammatory response and carbohydrate trafficking; however, neither role has been substantiated.

(CD52 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is postulated to play a role in cell adhesion, however this role has not been substantiated.

(CEACAM7 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is postulated to play a role in the regulation of carbohydrate trafficking; however this role has not been substantiated.

(CD52 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

"But you are stating truths that are substantiated only by biology," Martin insisted, and was rewarded by a blank stare.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The research shows that the vertebrate fossil record reported in earlier studies – which has been used as the standard in interpreting Earth's largest known mass extinction – is inaccurate and not sufficient to substantiate the long-held belief that marine species and terrestrial vertebrates perished together.

(Mass extinction of land and sea biodiversity 250 million years ago not simultaneous, National Science Foundation)

I have now concluded. It merely remains for me to substantiate these accusations; and then, with my ill-starred family, to disappear from the landscape on which we appear to be an encumbrance. That is soon done.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)