{
    "term": "affirm",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "affirm",
            "heSheIt": "affirms"
        },
        "pastSimple": "affirmed",
        "pastParticiple": "affirmed",
        "ingForm": "affirming"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to state clearly that something is true",
            "sensetop": "affirm somethingaffirm that…",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Both sides affirmed their commitment to the ceasefire.",
                    "contextForm": "affirm something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I can affirm that no one will lose their job.",
                    "contextForm": "affirm that…"
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "confirm"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to publicly defend something or state that you support it strongly",
            "sensetop": "affirm something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We affirm the principle that leaders must be chosen by the people and be accountable to the people."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to confirm a legal decision",
            "sensetop": "affirm something",
            "labels": "(law)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeal."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Law and justice"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to provide emotional support or approval",
            "sensetop": "affirm somebody",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They believe that it's important that parents affirm their children as they are."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːm/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirm__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːmz/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirms__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːmd/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirmed__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːmɪŋ/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirming__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːrm/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirm__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːrmz/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirms__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːrmd/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirmed__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈfɜːrmɪŋ/",
                "audio": "af/affirm/affirming__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English (in the sense ‘make firm’): via Old French from Latin affirmare, from ad- ‘to’ + firmus ‘strong’."
}