1
as in confident
having or showing a mind free from doubt
are you absolutely sure that she said she was coming today?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in necessary
impossible to avoid or evade
the joke's a sure dud if you don't pause in the right places
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reliable
not likely to fail
a sure cure for the winter blues—a week in the Bahamas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in true
worthy of one's trust
a sister is a sure friend for life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in conclusive
not capable of being challenged or proved wrong
no sure evidence that life exists on other planets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in definitely
without any question
we sure could use your help here
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sure
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Make sure to water the plants deeply and regularly at the base.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 23 Apr. 2026
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
Zdenka Majercak, Emma Everitt, Samantha Walsh and Isabella Lisenko led the defense in front of Yerkes, who Oak Forest coach Mike DaLuga is sure glad to have in the net.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sure
Adjective
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Make sure to water the plants deeply and regularly at the base.
—Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 23 Apr. 2026
Adverb
The biggest culprit at the moment is the lack of offense, though another poor performance by Kodai Senga sure didn’t help matters Friday against the Cubs.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
Zdenka Majercak, Emma Everitt, Samantha Walsh and Isabella Lisenko led the defense in front of Yerkes, who Oak Forest coach Mike DaLuga is sure glad to have in the net.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sure
Adjective
-
To wriggle out of Joseph’s grasp, Michael hires a brash young lawyer, John Branca, played by Miles Teller, who lends the coolly confident character a delightfully rough edge.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Owners should also be confident in their long-term plans for the property.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With his girth, incredible wingspan (85 inches) and arm length (35 inches), Collins is the requisite two-gap defensive tackle necessary for San Francisco’s defense.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
That means an entertainment license wouldn’t be necessary anymore for bars that want to host trivia nights, for bowling alleys and for coffee shops that have an unamplified live performer.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ellie Roebuck Hasn’t been capped since 2023 but back in the WSL with Aston Villa and back in Wiegman’s squad as a reliable reserve ‘keeper.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The genre hit its stride in the late-’90s and early-2000s, as the formula became a reliable commercial play.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Biscuits, waffles, pancakes and eggs — basically, all your breakfast dreams come true — plus classic diner lunches and home-style dinner staples are coming up fast at a James Beard Award semifinalist’s new restaurant in where Plaza Midwood and Plaza Shamrock meet.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
-
That’s true, said one former counterterrorism official with direct knowledge of the intelligence involved, but there was more to the story.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The research is not conclusive on the use of GLP-1 and Alzheimer’s, but some preliminary data is encouraging.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Experts as a whole say more research is needed to give a conclusive answer about benefits and risks.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
That definitely was not on our agenda for some of our night.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Giveaways were definitely a popular draw to the expo as evidenced by the number of full sponsor bags many patrons carried around.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Gukesh’s training was unusual in certain respects.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a certain attitude Seattle is searching for in its quest to build a roster capable of winning a second consecutive championship.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Houston survived James’ missed potential winner at the end of regulation after Alperen Şengün couldn’t score on the other end, but overtime felt inevitable — and so did the unraveling.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
When the Epstein story flared last summer, there was nothing inevitable about the script flipping.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sure. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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