sure thing

noun

: one that is certain to succeed : a sure bet

Synonyms of sure thing

• lock
• slam dunk
• certainty
• lead-pipe cinch

Examples of sure thing in a Sentence

he's a sure thing for the promotion: he's the most qualified candidate by far

Recent Examples on the Web

At this point, Brent Headrick, another surprise standout who made 81 appearances in 2026, is the only sure thing under contract. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026

But even a confident owner should weigh what that takes against the sure thing on the table. — Ron Smith, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Doncic, Reaves and Kessler are the sure things, but the other two spots are not certain. — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

But while players such as Hutson — who won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year before signing his contract last fall — had already established themselves as top NHL talents, others now landing these contracts are far from sure things. — James Mirtle, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sure thing

• anything
• colouring
• everything
• nuzzling
• snorkeling
• splattering
• superstring
• underwing
• worshiping
• bing
• bring
• ching