certain
Usage
What are other ways to say certain?
Certain, one of a handful of adjectives indicating full belief and trust that something is true, suggests that there are definite reasons that have freed one from doubt. Confident emphasizes the strength of the belief or the certainty of expectation felt. Positive implies emphatic certainty, which may even become overconfidence or dogmatism. Sure, the simplest and most general term, expresses mere absence of doubt.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Is that not the very feeling of being a teenager, so certain that everything and anything is possible, that when one gets a taste of the world, it’s nothing short of intoxicating?
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
We can never read another person’s mind, and Elon Musk didn’t respond to my email requests, so I can’t tell you for certain what he’s thinking.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
"If there's certain things from the past that are still affecting you every day, that's harder to let go of," he told GQ.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
"A certain number of obstacles may be overcome. As scientists, we need to be more ambitious."
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
I’m mostly certain I made the right decision.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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Vocabulary lists containing certain
The Real Deal: Synonyms for "True"
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A Sure Thing: Synonyms for "Definite"
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