surely

adverb sure·ly \ ˈshu̇r-lē , ˈshər- , especially Southern ˈshȯr- \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Usage guide: sure vs. surely

Examples: surely in a Sentence

Definition of surely

1 : in a sure manner:

a archaic : without danger or risk of injury or loss : safely

b (1) : with assurance : confidently

answered quickly and surely

(2) : without doubt : certainly

they will surely be heard from in the future
—R. J. Lifton

2 : indeed, really —often used as an intensive

you surely don't believe that

See surely defined for English-language learners

See surely defined for kids

sure vs. surely

Most commentators consider the adverb sure to be something less than completely standard; surely is usually recommended as a substitute. Our current evidence shows, however, that sure and surely have become differentiated in use. Sure is used in much more informal contexts than surely. It is used as a simple intensive

- I can never know how much I bored her, but, be certain, she sure amused me
- —Norman Mailer

and, because it connotes strong affirmation, it is used when the speaker or writer expects to be agreed with.

- it's a moot point whether politicians are less venal than in Twain's day. But they're sure as the devil more intrusive
- —Alan Abelson
- he sure gets them to play
- —D. S. Looney

Surely, like sure, is used as a simple intensive

- I surely don't want to leave the impression that I had an unhappy childhood
- —E. C. Welsh

but it occurs in more formal contexts than sure. Unlike sure it may be used neutrally—the reader or hearer may or may not agree

- it would surely be possible, within a few years, to program a computer to construct a grammar
- —Noam Chomsky

and it is often used when the writer is trying to persuade.

- surely a book on the avant-garde cannot be so conventional
- —Karl Shapiro

Examples of surely in a Sentence

She answered quickly and surely.
He will surely be missed.
This is surely the best dessert you have ever made.
Surely you must admit that it was a good decision.

Recent Examples of surely from the Web

Clint Bowyer did some fishing While surely still celebrating his second win of the season on June 10 at Michigan International Speedway, Bowyer spent some time relaxing with a fishing pole and his son, Cash.

— michelle r. martinelli, For The Win, "How 14 NASCAR drivers spent their time off, from Switzerland to the World Cup," 19 June 2018
The frustration was surely setting in by the second half.

— CBS News, "2018 World Cup: How to watch Monday's matches, scores and updates," 18 June 2018
How this never raised concern among Delos staff seems puzzling—surely the lab techs who stitch their heads back together would at some point notice and get spooked by the warriors’ macabre artwork.

— sandra upson, WIRED, "Westworld Recap, Season 2 Episode 9: The Many Lives of the Man in Black," 18 June 2018
If Tesla could tip the auto industry toward electrification, surely a company like Gogoro could do the same for the scooter market, where problems like air (and noise) pollution are still rampant.

— sean o'kane, The Verge, "Kymco’s new electric scooters could be the sign of a coming boom," 17 June 2018
Slowly but surely, Germany were getting into their rhythm and Mexico began to retreat deeper into their own half.

— joe marcovitch, Pro Soccer USA, "Germany 0-1 Mexico: Reigning champions stunned by magnificent El Tri in World Cup opener," 17 June 2018
Certainly, the plants and animals that live along the shore will not be able to adapt and there will be losses as the water — slowly but surely — creeps farther inland.

— dave epstein, BostonGlobe.com, "Tidal flooding is expected to become more routine as sea levels rise," 16 June 2018
The Monday broadcast is expected to have some exciting news baked into it—with Abloh’s first LV show just three days later surely some spoilers might slip in to the broadcast.

— steff yotka, Vogue, "Exclusive: Virgil Abloh Is Launching His Own Beats 1 Radio Show on Apple Music," 15 June 2018
Beyond those difficulties, lawsuits would surely follow.

— kathleen ronayne, The Christian Science Monitor, "Challenges lay ahead for California's three-state push," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'surely.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.