definitely

adverb

def·​i·​nite·​ly ˈde-fə-nit-lē 

ˈdef-nət-

1

: in a definite way : in a way free of all ambiguity, uncertainty, or obscurity

I will definitely be there.

He's very smart and very funny and is definitely a practical actor. He comes to work to get his job done and to make the best movie possible …

—Anna Kendrick

Omaha is definitely not hip; green-haired XML programmers do not glide past gourmet coffee emporiums on Razor scooters.

—Adam Rogers

2

a

—used in speech as a forceful way of expressing agreement or saying "yes"

"Do you think they'll win?" "Definitely!"

b

—used in speech in the phrase definitely not as a forceful way of expressing disagreement or saying "no"

"Do you agree with him?" "Definitely not!"

Synonyms of definitely

• certainly
• surely
• sure
• clearly
• probably
• really

Examples of definitely in a Sentence

that is definitely the kind of dog we're looking to adopt

Recent Examples on the Web

That terrible scenario that doesn't easily fade definitely caused everyone to believe Quinn was at it again on Monday night – messing up again, forgetting that the last play was fourth down instead of third down. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Friday was definitely not the day to cut Marketing for Entrepreneurs class at the University of Miami. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

In its mission to be one of the most welcoming restaurants, Skywalker Grill is definitely one of the most comfortable. — Khushbu Shah, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026

Although Down was not the victim, the case definitely scared her family. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

definite + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for definitely

• indefinitely

Video

How to Remember the Spelling of 'Definitely'

Editor Serenity Carr breaks down a simple way to remember how to spell definitely.

Transcript

Do you have trouble spelling definitely? Just remember, it contains the word finite. Then you definitely won't misspell it.