surely

adverb

sure·​ly ˈshu̇r-lē 

ˈshər-

especially Southern ˈshȯr-

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

Sure vs. Surely: Usage Guide

Sure and surely are both used as simple intensives. Sure is informal and typically used when the speaker or writer expects to be agreed with.

She sure knew how to make me laugh.

That sure was fun.

Surely can occur in formal contexts and is used whether or not agreement is expected.

Surely you jest.

It is often applied when someone is making an effort to persuade.

a book surely worth anyone's time

Synonyms of surely

• certainly
• definitely
• sure
• clearly
• probably

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 on the Web

Heather is absolutely tickled and lets out a cackle, because that little bit surely hits even harder if the FBI has actually busted up one of your cast trips before. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

With Game 1 in the best-of-three Wild Card Series set to start Tuesday in Atlanta, the Phillies will almost surely have to beat the Braves without a start from Wheeler. — CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Boston is likely to start two left-handers in the series, and the Yankees will surely want to deploy lefty-crushing outfielder Heliot Ramos in both games. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

College rankings have surely led schools to think too much about the optics of their ranking. — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing surely

• slowly but surely

Rhymes for surely

• demurely
• maturely
• obscurely
• securely
• insecurely
• prematurely
• purely

Kids Definition

surely

adverb

sure·​ly ˈshu̇(ə)r-lē 

1

a

: with confidence

answered quickly and surely

b

: without doubt : certainly

they will surely be heard from again

2

: beyond question : truly

I surely am tired this afternoon