Word: corroborate (verb)

Associations

"Corroborate" means to give support or proof to an idea, statement, or theory. When you corroborate something, you confirm it with evidence or information from another source.

• Example 1: The witness's testimony corroborated the defendant's alibi. (The witness's story supports the defendant's claim.)
• Example 2: Scientific studies corroborate the benefits of regular exercise. (Studies confirm that exercise is good for health.)
• Example 3: Can you corroborate this report with data? (Can you provide evidence to support this report?) A common synonym is "confirm," but "corroborate" often implies adding extra, independent evidence, not just agreeing.

Substitution

You can use words like:

• confirm (to say something is true)
• support (to give help or evidence)
• verify (to check and prove the truth) Using "verify" often means checking facts carefully, while "corroborate" usually means backing up a statement with additional evidence.

Deconstruction

The word "corroborate" comes from Latin:

• "cor-" means "together" or "with"
• "roborare" means "to strengthen" So, "corroborate" literally means "to strengthen together," or to make something stronger by adding support.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you needed to corroborate information before making a decision?
• How is corroborating evidence important in everyday life, like in news or schoolwork?
• Can you find examples where people might confuse "corroborate" with just "agree"? How are they different?