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.
But even at its height, the form carried a certain stigma.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
“It’s like with a divorce: When certain words are used, you can’t walk them back.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
They’re not certain that oil prices can sustain their current levels, which is why the profit forecasts haven’t risen more than that.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
I think when we do play, especially around this time, you can see throughout March Madness, we come out with a certain level of urgency because it is our last year.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Telephone calls are entirely random, so why am I so certain that one was for me?
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
