as in lock
one that is certain to succeed
he's a sure thing for the promotion: he's the most qualified candidate by far
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Recent Examples of sure thing
Is there any sure thing out there?
—
Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 18 Feb. 2026
In the Olympics, there are precious few sure things.
—Rick Maese, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2026
The Yankees, meanwhile, are short on sure things in their bullpen right now.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
Of course, the genre dictates that a seemingly sure thing be vexed, and this rom-com is no different.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sure thing
Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 18 Feb. 2026
In the Olympics, there are precious few sure things.
—Rick Maese, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2026
The Yankees, meanwhile, are short on sure things in their bullpen right now.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
Of course, the genre dictates that a seemingly sure thing be vexed, and this rom-com is no different.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sure thing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sure thing
Noun
-
The loss locks in the longest losing streak at USC in over a decade, as well as the longest losing streak of Musselman’s tenure as a college coach.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Mayer’s last three games came at home as part of the same unit as Trevor Story, Caleb Durbin and Willson Contreras, all of whom are locks to start.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Netflix's basketball comedy, which dropped its first season in February 2025, was a total slam dunk, shooting straight to the top of the streamers charts.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
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Styles would be a slam dunk to drop in the middle of the defense, despite rookie linebacker issues last season.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Historical paintings don’t come with certificates; experts are increasingly hesitant to express complete certainty, for fear of litigation or reputational damage should they be proven wrong.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
9 Mar. 2026
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In the maelstrom of modern war, presumed certainties crumble like piecrust.—
George F. Will,
Washington Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sure thing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sure%20thing. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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