sure-footed

adjective

sure-foot·​ed ˈshu̇r-ˈfu̇-təd How to pronounce sure-footed (audio)
ˈshər-
: not liable to stumble, fall, or err
sure-footedly adverb
sure-footedness noun

Examples of sure-footed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the once sure-footed dynamic has given way to some second guessing their relationship with the American exclave, even for family. Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 20 May 2025 But even sure-footed and sturdy kolbars are always in grave danger. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025 Ken Kalfus has written a novel that proves it can be done: A Hole in the Story is nuanced, sure-footed, dryly funny, and unpredictable. Air Mail, 12 Apr. 2025 If the category had included Conclave’s Edward Berger, cool-eyed and dramatically sure-footed, this might have been a more interesting race. Tom Gliatto, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025 The Tiburon Uplands loop trail and adjoining hike through Old St. Hilary’s Preserve offer a great opportunity for sure-footed hikers to get in touch with the wild and rugged natural landscape of the Tiburon Peninsula. Daniel Bromfield, The Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2025 The 20 Most Beautiful Places In Virginia, According To A Local South Carolina The Carolina Marsh Tacky South Carolina’s heritage state horse, the Marsh Tacky, is a sturdy, sure-footed animal that descended from the horses of 16th century Spanish explorers. Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024 This rare moment of hesitation from a man who is usually so sure-footed in the recording studio underscores the paradox of Edgar Barrera: a towering figure in Latin music who is most often behind the scenes. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024 But once the drama comes to a head, there is a long journey toward Christmas morning, one in which serial one-on-one conversations come to feel, eventually, like what had been a sure-footed piece of writing is suddenly dithering toward meaning in the midst of human messiness. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sure-footed was in 1633

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sure-footed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sure-footed. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

sure-footed

adjective
sure-foot·​ed
ˈshu̇(ə)r-ˈfu̇t-əd
: not likely to stumble or fall
sure-footedly adverb
sure-footedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sure-footed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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