ascertain
verb
as·cer·tain
ˌa-sər-ˈtān 
ascertained; ascertaining; ascertains
1
: to find out or learn with certainty
ascertain the truth
trying to ascertain the cause of the fire
information that can be easily ascertained on the Internet
2
archaic
: to make certain, exact, or precise
Examples of ascertain in a Sentence
We look at digital media—images, audio and video—and we try to ascertain whether or not they've been manipulated. We use mathematical and computational techniques to detect alterations in them.
—
Claudia Dreifus, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2007
Currently, an official trying to ascertain road damage in the aftermath of an earthquake might have to keep one eye on the TV news while listening to both radio traffic reports and the police scanner. Since most of these data are available in digital form, the software could take them all in, process them and present a report outlining the best evacuation routes.
—Kevin Hogan, Technology Review, April 2002
With an equation linking the money wage to prices, the degree of inflation could be ascertained.
—Sidney Weintraub, Modern Economic Thought, (1977) 1993
Claudia Dreifus, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2007
Currently, an official trying to ascertain road damage in the aftermath of an earthquake might have to keep one eye on the TV news while listening to both radio traffic reports and the police scanner. Since most of these data are available in digital form, the software could take them all in, process them and present a report outlining the best evacuation routes.
—Kevin Hogan, Technology Review, April 2002
With an equation linking the money wage to prices, the degree of inflation could be ascertained.
—Sidney Weintraub, Modern Economic Thought, (1977) 1993
Recent Examples on the Web
This trip was no different, but maybe a bit harder to ascertain.
—Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
The surveillance helped investigators ascertain that these men, most of whom lived in Dubai, were working together to launder money and smuggle cocaine from South America to Europe.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Police quickly realized, however, there were inconsistencies in the siblings’ story, and authorities ascertained that Samantha was the person driving at the time of the incident.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
The Times points out that one of Spears’ legal arguments is that the Times should have engaged more diligently with Alabama to ascertain facts.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascertain
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Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
The surveillance helped investigators ascertain that these men, most of whom lived in Dubai, were working together to launder money and smuggle cocaine from South America to Europe.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Police quickly realized, however, there were inconsistencies in the siblings’ story, and authorities ascertained that Samantha was the person driving at the time of the incident.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
The Times points out that one of Spears’ legal arguments is that the Times should have engaged more diligently with Alabama to ascertain facts.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascertain
Cite this Entry
“Ascertain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascertain. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ascertain
verb
as·cer·tain
ˌas-ər-ˈtān
: to learn with certainty : find out
could not ascertain the correct date
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