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as in reliable
not likely to fail a sure cure for the winter blues—a week in the Bahamas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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sure

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sure contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sure are certain, cocksure, and positive. While all these words mean "having no doubt or uncertainty," sure usually stresses the subjective or intuitive feeling of assurance.

felt sure that I had forgotten something

When is certain a more appropriate choice than sure?

In some situations, the words certain and sure are roughly equivalent. However, certain may apply to a basing of a conclusion or conviction on definite grounds or indubitable evidence.

police are certain about the cause of the fire

When would cocksure be a good substitute for sure?

The words cocksure and sure can be used in similar contexts, but cocksure implies presumptuous or careless positiveness.

you're always so cocksure about everything

Where would positive be a reasonable alternative to sure?

The synonyms positive and sure are sometimes interchangeable, but positive intensifies sureness or certainty and may imply opinionated conviction or forceful expression of it.

I'm positive that's the person I saw

Examples of sure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
One thing is for sure, El Clasico has all the makings to be a battle for the ages. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 Now no one is quite sure what happens next in a high-stakes story that could eventually affect not only Solano County but the entire state, the development priorities of which could stand some major changes. Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
Adverb
Be honest about it because your customers sure will be. Yates Jarvis, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024 Shelly has been putting on the ol’ razzle dazzle for most of her adult life — literally, as the Vegas showgirl has long been a cast member of Le Razzle Dazzle, an old-school feathers-and-rhinestones show that the city sure loves celebrating, but isn’t so hot on actually attending. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sure 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near sure

Cite this Entry

“Sure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sure. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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