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attest
/əˈtɛst/
to confirm formally
The witness will attest to the events of that night.
The witness will confirm officially what happened that night.
formal
to declare that something is true, especially in a formal or official way
She can attest to his honesty.
She can confirm that he is honest.
The document attests that the agreement was signed on June 1st.
The document confirms that the agreement was signed on June 1st.
Often used with 'to' for nouns and 'that' for clauses; common in legal, academic, and official writing.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Preposition Pairing
Use *attest to* when the object is a noun (e.g., *attest to the facts*). Use *attest that* when introducing a clause (e.g., *attest that the contract was signed*).
Word Origin
From Latin *attestari* ‘to bear witness’, from *ad-* ‘to’ + *testari* ‘to testify’, related to *testis* ‘witness’.
Usage Notes
Primarily used in formal contexts such as legal statements, academic reports, and official documents. Rarely appears in casual conversation.
English Dictionary