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

It's been a huge effort, but the ski area has definitely been a part of that. — Kelly Werthmann, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026

One thing that’s for sure is that SZA is definitely teasing new music. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2026

And the Broncos are definitely on the positive side so far this season. — ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026

Either way, Meloy knows waiting 16 years for his characters to come to life on the big screen was definitely worth it. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 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.