as in reliable
not likely to fail
pizza seems like a surefire choice for a food that everyone at the party will be happy with
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Recent Examples of surefire
However, stuffing stinky or stained items away for months is a surefire way to permanently damage them.
—
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Feb. 2026
Soon, mystery-solving events were de rigueur at many rural hotels, whose owners found that staging crime scenes was a surefire way to lure cosmopolitans to the country during the off-season.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
Being a surefire, annual Super Bowl contender was the objective.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Although there are mainly male characters in the Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, Alexander’s performance shines through and commands a surefire presence on screen, acting as a centerpiece of the show.
—Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surefire
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Feb. 2026
Soon, mystery-solving events were de rigueur at many rural hotels, whose owners found that staging crime scenes was a surefire way to lure cosmopolitans to the country during the off-season.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
Being a surefire, annual Super Bowl contender was the objective.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Although there are mainly male characters in the Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, Alexander’s performance shines through and commands a surefire presence on screen, acting as a centerpiece of the show.
—Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surefire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surefire
Adjective
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And while Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark serve as one of the better defensive tackle duos in the league and Otito Ogbonnia provides reliable depth, having another quality, reliable player in the middle may end up being necessary as well.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Mar. 2026
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With increasing demand for modern defense systems worldwide, investments like this expansion are considered essential for maintaining reliable production and supply.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Those who aren’t sure which paddle to buy will benefit from the Gearbox GX6 Carbon Fiber Pickleball Paddle, which features a carbon-fiber core that’s great for both beginners and experts alike.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
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Don’t be so sure that Bryant would have resented Adebayo topping his 81 points.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Consider this the fail-safe way to make a statement during the colder months—a leopard-print coat that's both fiercely cool and classic.—
Andrea Cheng,
InStyle,
29 Dec. 2025
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Larry Anglisano, an aviation journalist for AVBrief, described Autoland as a fail-safe for when the airplane is in working order but the pilot might not be able to take control.—
Sarah Horbacewicz,
CBS News,
22 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surefire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surefire. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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