certainly

adverb

ˈsər-tᵊn-lē How to pronounce certainly (audio)
Definition of certainlynext
as in definitely
without any question certainly, you can come to the party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of certainly Jim Cramer is certainly excited to have this kind of AI exposure in the Club's portfolio. — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026 Furthermore, if a Republican justice retires should Democrats win the Senate, the move will almost certainly be viewed as purely partisan. — The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 The 5-foot-8 Phillips has certainly made good on her promise to make this season count. — Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026 And while 2026 is certainly a banner year for the brand, 2027 also holds promise with the opening of the first international Peter Millar store on New Bond Street in London. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for certainly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for certainly
  1. definitely
  2. surely
  3. sure
  4. clearly
  5. probably
  6. really
Adverb
  • Suffice it to say the mystery bullets that landed in Rate Field’s bleachers in 2023 and wounded two women definitely aren’t relevant to this feel-good story but are worth mentioning to remind us how much the Sox narrative has changed.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • And there’s definitely times when people discover something like ‘Chestnut Man’ from the Nordics or ‘Blood of Sacrifice’ from Sweden.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of definitely
Adverb
  • Tyson, a student of boxing history, surely would have appreciated a deeper discussion of the role of the Black heavyweight champion in culture.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Unbearably painful and enraging for the one, surely pretty darn awkward for the other.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of surely
Adverb
  • With all the consternation around bond yields and energy prices — topped off with new data showing potential cracks in the artificial intelligence trade — Wall Street could sure use some positive news.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Wow, the brown Democratic candidate calling the white Republican candidate a dumb immigrant — California politics sure have changed!
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of sure
Adverb
  • Problems emerge when those distinctive flavors don’t incorporate into the overall mix or too clearly smack of other artists’ sauce.
    — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The key is helping prospective employers clearly see how those strengths translate to their current needs.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of clearly
Adverb
  • The conflict has killed at least 150,000 people, according to conflict monitor ACLED, though aid groups say the real number is probably higher.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The distance from May to October meant that people probably felt a little freer to applaud Busch’s life, without concentrating too much on the details of his tragic and unexpected death.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of probably
Adverb
  • The phone encounters were conceived before the pandemic, but once quarantine began, the idea of entertaining people through interactive phone plays really began to pick up steam.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • But really, traveling around with my best friends was such an incredibly bonding, grounding experience.
    — Liam Hess, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of really

Browse Nearby Words

certain
certainly
certainty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Certainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/certainly. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All