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
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
But none represent sure things for the Yankees next season, and Peralta is as sure a thing as any team could acquire this winter.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
With Justin Verlander set to be a free agent, Ray is one of only three sure things in next year’s rotation, along with Logan Webb and Landen Roupp.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
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
But none represent sure things for the Yankees next season, and Peralta is as sure a thing as any team could acquire this winter.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
With Justin Verlander set to be a free agent, Ray is one of only three sure things in next year’s rotation, along with Logan Webb and Landen Roupp.
—Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sure things
Noun
-
Ezra Ausar led the Trojans with 21 points, including crucial late slam dunks.—
Sean Campbell,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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The Timberwolves began to sling 3-pointers and slam dunks, but the Bulls took those punches on the chin, holding off the onslaught by forcing second-chance points and drawing fouls.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Tired of your locks weighing you down?—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Inside the bags are built-in pockets and packing cubes to make packing even easier, while the outside of the bags features TSA locks, charging ports, and a comfort grip handle.—
Kristy Alpert,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sure things.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sure%20things. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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