What does “ascertain” mean?
- 1
verbto find out for certain whether something is true or what the facts are
Police are trying to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Ascertain at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- C2 (proficient)
- Pronunciation
- /ˌæsɚˈteɪn/ · ass-er-TAYN
How to use “ascertain” correctly
A formal word used in reports and legal writing. In conversation, “find out” is far more natural.
Common phrases with “ascertain”
- ascertain whether
- ascertain the facts
- ascertain the cause of
Synonyms, opposites and related words
“ascertain” is on these word lists
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