as in certainties
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 things
In a campaign as odd as this one, there are no sure things.
—
Dan Walters, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Few sure things in the acting categories Whether those changes will have any effect on some of the night’s closest races remains to be seen.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
There are no sure things for the NHL after him.
—Corey Pronman, New York Times, 26 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
Looking back through the records, Warr found that the majority of medalists hadn’t looked like sure things at age 12, even as every lever in the system was tuned to favor those who did.
—Rachel Barr, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Each year, certain movies and awards contenders eventually emerge and sure things for Oscar nominations, others are probable, and another few are battling it out for the final spot on a list of five (or 10 in the case of Best Picture).
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Jan. 2026
And while draft picks can rarely be absolute sure things, Booker has been just that through 12 games.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Dec. 2025
Dan Walters, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Few sure things in the acting categories Whether those changes will have any effect on some of the night’s closest races remains to be seen.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
There are no sure things for the NHL after him.
—Corey Pronman, New York Times, 26 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
Looking back through the records, Warr found that the majority of medalists hadn’t looked like sure things at age 12, even as every lever in the system was tuned to favor those who did.
—Rachel Barr, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Each year, certain movies and awards contenders eventually emerge and sure things for Oscar nominations, others are probable, and another few are battling it out for the final spot on a list of five (or 10 in the case of Best Picture).
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Jan. 2026
And while draft picks can rarely be absolute sure things, Booker has been just that through 12 games.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sure things
Noun
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Another splices real combat videos between home runs and slam dunks from Wii Sports.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
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March is bursting with sales, shows, slam dunks and everything in between.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Should five of these eight hear their names called on top of the five locks, UM would have double-digit draftees for the first time since 2002 when 11 Hurricanes players were selected.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
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Note the control and tightness of the hatched lines on the cheek, and the way the mark loosens with the locks of hair right next to it, like wind rushing around a building.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sure things.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sure%20things. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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