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

Participants were instructed to meet with a dietitian and eat a certain amount of prepared food provided throughout the five-month study. — Stephanie Anderson Witmer, HEALTH, 28 Sep. 2026

It was meant to disguise something, and at the same time it was meant to give a certain feeling of strength, of course, because wearing armor does something to the body. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026

Though there has been marked improvement in some areas, the state still lags behind on its commitment on finding placements, stability and providing mental health services for a certain population of children. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026

For a certain demographic, teens have probably seen that video multiple times, but most of the population hasn’t. — Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for a certain

• uncertain
• bertin
• curtain