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.
Another is to limit the cost-of-living adjustment for those receiving more than a certain amount in benefits.
From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026
Conflicts that begin with strikes from far away tend to shift, in their decisive phases, to questions of land control: Who holds certain terrain, who secures the population, who can enforce order.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
This finding suggests that compounds other than caffeine, such as polyphenols, may be responsible for certain cognitive benefits.
From Science Daily • May 3, 2026
And at a certain point, you get over the sleep-deprivation feeling of tiny ants biting the inside of your skull.
From Slate • May 3, 2026
“I suppose anyone who scratches lions under the chin is entitled to a certain amount of confidence. I better go down to the Shack and get cleaned up before dinner.”
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
Vocabulary lists containing certain
The Real Deal: Synonyms for "True"
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List 1
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A Sure Thing: Synonyms for "Definite"
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