surefire

adjective

sure·​fire ˈshu̇r-ˈfī(-ə)r 

ˈshər-

: certain to get successful or expected results

a surefire recipe

Synonyms of surefire

• reliable
• sure
• fail-safe

Examples of surefire in a Sentence

The movie is a surefire hit with teenagers.

There is no surefire way to predict the outcome.

Recent Examples on the Web

Soon, mystery-solving events were de rigueur at many rural hotels, whose owners found that staging crime scenes was a surefire way to lure cosmopolitans to the country during the off-season. —Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026

One of the most surefire homemade squirrel repellents is cinnamon mixed with cayenne. —Heather Bien, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026

So while, yes, this was yet another example of losing a core player without getting enough in return, which is part of the reason the Rangers are in this mess in the first place, there weren’t any surefire alternatives here. —Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026

Mostly that means the score — a surefire collection of the best classic stage musicals have to offer. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for surefire

• acquire
• attire
• bonfire
• campfire
• ceasefire
• conspire
• desire
• enquire
• entire
• greenbrier
• gunfire
• homebuyer

Kids Definition

surefire

adjective

sure·​fire ˌshu̇r-ˌfī(ə)r 

: certain to get results