a certain

phrase

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

Those of us among the audience are, by implication, among the meeting’s attendees, and our engagement with Ireland’s play, under Maria Dizzia’s direction, has a certain active power. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Although her persona as an actor will forever be entwined with a certain ‘90s sitcom, behind the camera Courteney Cox has a bit of a mean streak. — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026

Snyder’s version of The Quiet American represents a certain nadir for TIFF programming. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

Retail and hospitality spaces have tapped into this area to a certain level. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for a certain

• uncertain
• bertin
• curtain