surefire

adjective

sure·​fire ˈshu̇r-ˈfī(-ə)r 

ˈshər-

: certain to get successful or expected results

a surefire recipe

Synonyms of surefire

• reliable
• sure
• fail-safe

Examples of surefire in a Sentence

The movie is a surefire hit with teenagers.

There is no surefire way to predict the outcome.

Recent Examples on the Web

But working for a Big Four firm or Wall Street titan is no longer the surefire way to earn big and hold down a steady gig. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026

Selecting pieces with similar upholstery is also a surefire way to create cohesion, so if the rest of your furniture accents are upholstered in bouclé, this bench is a no-brainer. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Jan. 2026

What looked at one point like a surefire, get-right win over the Ducks leading into that final, fourth-quarter stretch descended instead into a disastrous 71-66 defeat that left Gottlieb shaking her head. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2026

While these tips can mitigate symptoms, there is no surefire way to prevent them altogether. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for surefire

• acquire
• attire
• bonfire
• campfire
• ceasefire
• conspire
• desire
• enquire
• entire
• greenbrier
• gunfire
• homebuyer

Kids Definition

surefire

adjective

sure·​fire ˌshu̇r-ˌfī(ə)r 

: certain to get results