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.
The NBA and its sports betting partners are banning certain bets this season that are highly susceptible to manipulation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
The novel approach is showing promise in going after a certain kind of hard-to-target protein involved in 85% of disease drivers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Genna Contino is planning her wedding, and has been amazed at how expensive certain items can be, such as a dress she “fell in love with.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
“They look a certain way, they talk a certain way, and that’s not the reality of what being Latino, especially in America, is like.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
In Mama’s day married women—and unmarried ones “of a certain age”—wore black from the chin to the ground.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Vocabulary lists containing certain
The Real Deal: Synonyms for "True"
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A Sure Thing: Synonyms for "Definite"
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