1
as in one
known but not named
a certain person told me that today is your birthday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sure
having or showing a mind free from doubt
I'm certain that they'll arrive on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stable
having been established and usually not subject to change
a certain percentage of the profits will go to charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in necessary
impossible to avoid or evade
as he got older, the athlete began to feel the certain effects of the aging process on his body
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in reliable
not likely to fail
chicken soup is grandma's certain cure for pretty much whatever ails you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in definite
not capable of being challenged or proved wrong
up to this point there's been no certain evidence that a crime has been committed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of certain
While prices for certain imports like beef, coffee and tomatoes increased significantly last year, price hikes overall were little changed.
—
Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
Because of this rare condition, superstitions and myths have permeated certain African countries, both positive and negative.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2026
Some cruise lines also restrict certain areas of their ships to adults.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Smith said that the increase in disaster costs is driven by greater exposure and vulnerability to extreme events, as well as by certain hazard types becoming more frequent or intense due to the influence of climate change.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for certain
Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
Because of this rare condition, superstitions and myths have permeated certain African countries, both positive and negative.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2026
Some cruise lines also restrict certain areas of their ships to adults.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Smith said that the increase in disaster costs is driven by greater exposure and vulnerability to extreme events, as well as by certain hazard types becoming more frequent or intense due to the influence of climate change.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for certain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for certain
Adjective
-
Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
3 Aug. 2019
-
Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.—
Johannes Himmelreich,
BostonGlobe.com,
30 Mar. 2018
Adjective
-
These manuals scratch the nostalgia itch, sure, but also exemplify a greater desire for offline, focused activities that can serve as a salve for our dwindling attention spans.—
Kristina Rodulfo,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The puck was mostly in Buffalo’s end, the Sabres were held without a shot for the first nine minutes and 20 seconds of the game, and Nikita Grebenkin was robbed of what looked like a sure goal by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after a slick backhand feed from Owen Tippett.—
Kevin Kurz,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Polk said the astronaut is stable but that diagnostic uncertainty in microgravity prompted NASA to err on the side of bringing the crew member back to Earth.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Treaties assume shared values, stable circumstances, and mutual benefit.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The moratorium, which was confirmed by the league, was necessary because the sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement or an extension of the current one by Friday night’s deadline.—
Doug Feinberg,
Twin Cities,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The moratorium, which was confirmed by the league, was necessary because the sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement or an extension of the current one by Friday night's deadline.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
For decades, Venezuela was one of America's closest partners in Latin America, a reliable energy supplier, and a democracy that helped anchor the region.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Finding the right toiletry bag for your next trip is as important as buying a reliable carry-on or a hassle-free backpack.—
Michelle Baricevic,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The palace hasn't clarified when the former Prince Andrew, now called Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, will officially move out of Royal Lodge or whether Marsh Farm is his definite destination.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
There’s no Rotten Tomatoes critics score on Bone Temple yet, but the last 28 Years Later did 89% with critics, 63% with audiences, a B CinemaScore and an OK 52% definite recommend on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak, with a big turnout by men over 25 at 49% followed by 26% women over 25.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Boyce is confident that as the season progresses and more results are in the computer, and as more teams get it together and report all of their results, the accuracy of the rankings will improve.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Lost Lambs is a confident if uneven start for a morbidly funny writer.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
With Packers first-year team president Ed Policy likely approaching a decision on LaFleur’s future this offseason before the final year of his contract, LaFleur did himself no favors ahead of those conversations.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP George Clooney and Don Cheadle, who came onstage to present the final award for the night, joked about the standing ovation, with Cheadle noting Clooney did not receive one.—
Aliza Chasan,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/certain. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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