verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌæsəˈteɪn/
Canada, General-American:ăs'-ər-tānʹ
Canada, General-American:/ˌæsɚˈteɪn/
California:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian, New-Zealand:/ˌæsəˈtæɪn/
rhymes with -eɪn
CMU ARPABET:AE2 S ER0 T EY1 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To find out definitely; to discover or establish.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
As soon as we ascertain what the situation is, we can plan how to proceed.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: determine, discover, establish, find out, learn, work out, see, discern, assess
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To make (someone) certain or confident about something; to inform.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To look for something lost.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Yorkshire, dated, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To establish, to prove.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To ensure or effect.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He verified that the valves were closed
See that the curtains are closed
control the quality of the product
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: see, check, insure, see to it, ensure, control, assure
find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
I want to see whether she speaks French
See whether it works
find out if he speaks Russian
Check whether the train leaves on time
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: determine, check, find out, see, watch, learn
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: test
History
Etymology
From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.
Across languages
Translations
75 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
تَيَقَّنَ
(tayaqqana)
— find out; discover or establish
Arabic:
تَثَبَّتَ
(taṯabbata)
— find out; discover or establish
Armenian:
հավաստիանալ
(havastianal)
— find out; discover or establish
Armenian:
համոզվել
(hamozvel)
— find out; discover or establish
Armenian:
պարզել
(parzel)
— find out; discover or establish
Armenian:
հաստատել
(hastatel)
— find out; discover or establish
Bulgarian:
установявам
(ustanovjavam)
— find out; discover or establish
Bulgarian:
убеждавам се
(ubeždavam se)
— find out; discover or establish
Catalan:
establir
— find out; discover or establish
Catalan:
determinar
— find out; discover or establish
Cherokee:
ᎠᎦᏛᏗᏱ
(agadvdiyi)
— find out; discover or establish
Chinese Mandarin:
查明
(chámíng)
— find out; discover or establish
Czech:
zjistit
— find out; discover or establish
Danish:
konstatere
— find out; discover or establish
Danish:
fastslå
— find out; discover or establish
Dutch:
constateren
— find out; discover or establish
Dutch:
vaststellen
— find out; discover or establish
Dutch:
vergewissen
— find out; discover or establish
Esperanto:
konstati
— find out; discover or establish
Finnish:
saada selville
— find out; discover or establish
Finnish:
varmistaa
— find out; discover or establish
Finnish:
selvittää
— find out; discover or establish
French:
constater
— find out; discover or establish
French:
définir
— find out; discover or establish
German:
feststellen
— find out; discover or establish
Greek:
διαπιστώνω
(diapistóno)
— find out; discover or establish
Hebrew:
וידא
(vidé)
— find out; discover or establish
Hungarian:
megbizonyosodik
— find out; discover or establish
Hungarian:
megtud
— find out; discover or establish
Hungarian:
kiderít
— find out; discover or establish
Hungarian:
megállapít
— find out; discover or establish
Hungarian:
tisztáz
— find out; discover or establish
Hungarian:
meggyőződik
— find out; discover or establish
Icelandic:
ganga úr skugga um
— find out; discover or establish
Icelandic:
fá fullvissu um
— find out; discover or establish
Icelandic:
komast eftir
— find out; discover or establish
Icelandic:
komast að
— find out; discover or establish
Italian:
accertare
— find out; discover or establish
Italian:
appurare
— find out; discover or establish
Italian:
stabilire
— find out; discover or establish
Italian:
constatare
— find out; discover or establish
Italian:
riscontrare
— find out; discover or establish
Japanese:
確かめる
(tashikameru)
— find out; discover or establish
Korean:
명백히하다
(myeongbaekhihada)
— find out; discover or establish
Latin:
scīscō
— find out; discover or establish
Latin:
comperiō
— find out; discover or establish
Macedonian:
утврдува
(utvrduva)
— find out; discover or establish
Macedonian:
востановува
(vostanovuva)
— find out; discover or establish
Macedonian:
установува
(ustanovuva)
— find out; discover or establish
Māori:
rapu
— find out; discover or establish
Norwegian:
fastslå
— find out; discover or establish
Polish:
ustalać
— find out; discover or establish
Polish:
ustalić
— find out; discover or establish
Portuguese:
averiguar
— find out; discover or establish
Portuguese:
determinar
— find out; discover or establish
Portuguese:
estabelecer
— find out; discover or establish
Portuguese:
apurar
— find out; discover or establish
Portuguese:
constatar
— find out; discover or establish
Russian:
удостоверя́ться
(udostoverjátʹsja)
— find out; discover or establish
Russian:
удостове́риться
(udostovéritʹsja)
— find out; discover or establish
Russian:
убежда́ться
(ubeždátʹsja)
— find out; discover or establish
Russian:
убеди́ться
(ubedítʹsja)
— find out; discover or establish
Russian:
устана́вливать
(ustanávlivatʹ)
— find out; discover or establish
Russian:
установи́ть
(ustanovítʹ)
— find out; discover or establish
Spanish:
averiguar
— find out; discover or establish
Spanish:
acertar
— find out; discover or establish
Swedish:
fastställa
— find out; discover or establish
Swedish:
förvissa sig om
— find out; discover or establish
Swedish:
ta reda på
— find out; discover or establish
Ukrainian:
устано́влювати
(ustanóvljuvaty)
— find out; discover or establish
Ukrainian:
установи́ти
(ustanovýty)
— find out; discover or establish
Ukrainian:
встано́влювати
(vstanóvljuvaty)
— find out; discover or establish
Ukrainian:
встанови́ти
(vstanovýty)
— find out; discover or establish
Ukrainian:
з'ясо́вувати
(zʺjasóvuvaty)
— find out; discover or establish
Ukrainian:
з'ясува́ти
(zʺjasuváty)
— find out; discover or establish
