a certain
idiom
1
—used to refer to a quality that is noticed but that is difficult to explain or describe
She has a certain elegance about her.
The house has a certain charm.
2
formal
—used with the name of a person one does not know
In 1889, a certain Mr. Kelly made a large donation to the church.
Examples of a certain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gifts over a certain size — which is $18,000 this year — have to be reported to the IRS.
—
Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2024
In a cover story for Playgirl’s April digital issue, the actor shared why a solid skill set was just as important as maintaining a certain physique in soap acting.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 June 2024
Thanks to the jewelry company’s connections with Rolling Loud, Tyreek Hill and Lil Durk, the brand already had a certain appeal to teenagers like the 17-year-old Ffrench Jr.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 5 June 2024
Back when some of those homes were built in the mid-20th century, the city could only recommend, not require, a certain elevation, said Claude Tankersley, St. Petersburg’s public works administrator.
—Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain 
Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2024
In a cover story for Playgirl’s April digital issue, the actor shared why a solid skill set was just as important as maintaining a certain physique in soap acting.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 June 2024
Thanks to the jewelry company’s connections with Rolling Loud, Tyreek Hill and Lil Durk, the brand already had a certain appeal to teenagers like the 17-year-old Ffrench Jr.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 5 June 2024
Back when some of those homes were built in the mid-20th century, the city could only recommend, not require, a certain elevation, said Claude Tankersley, St. Petersburg’s public works administrator.
—Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a certain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near a certain
Cite this Entry
“A certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20certain. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share