51Թ

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View synonyms for

sure

[shoor, shur]

adjective

surer, surest 
  1. free from doubt as to the reliability, character, action, etc., of something.

    to be sure of one's data.

  2. confident, as of something expected.

    sure of success.

  3. convinced, fully persuaded, or positive.

    to be sure of a person's guilt.

  4. assured or certain beyond question.

    a sure victory.

  5. worthy of confidence; reliable; stable.

    a sure messenger.

  6. unfailing; never disappointing expectations.

    a sure cure.

  7. unerring; never missing, slipping, etc..

    a sure aim.

  8. admitting of no doubt or question.

    sure proof.

  9. destined; bound inevitably; certain.

    sure death.

  10. Obsolete.secure; safe.

  11. be sure, to take care (to be or do as specified); be certain.

    Be sure to close the windows.



adverb

  1. Informal.certainly; surely.

    It sure is cold out. Sure, I'll come.

sure

/ ʃɔː, ʃʊə /

adjective

  1. (sometimes foll by of) free from hesitancy or uncertainty (with regard to a belief, conviction, etc)

    we are sure of the accuracy of the data

    I am sure that he is lying

  2. (foll by of) having no doubt, as of the occurrence of a future state or event

    sure of success

  3. always effective; unfailing

    a sure remedy

  4. reliable in indication or accuracy

    a sure criterion

  5. (of persons) worthy of trust or confidence

    a sure friend

  6. not open to doubt

    sure proof

  7. admitting of no vacillation or doubt

    he is very sure in his beliefs

  8. bound to be or occur; inevitable

    victory is sure

  9. (postpositive) bound inevitably (to be or do something); certain

    she is sure to be there tonight

  10. physically secure or dependable

    a sure footing

  11. obsoletefree from exposure to harm or danger

  12. (usually imperative or dependent imperative; takes a clause as object or an infinitive, sometimes with to replaced by and) to be careful or certain

    be sure and shut the door

    I told him to be sure to shut the door

  13. without a doubt; surely

    1. (takes a clause as object) to make certain; ensure

    2. (foll by of) to establish or confirm power or possession (over)

  14. informalas might have been confidently expected; definitely: often used as a sentence substitute

    1. without doubt; certainly

    2. it has to be acknowledged; admittedly

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. informal(sentence substitute) willingly; yes

  2. informal(sentence modifier) without question; certainly

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Confusables Note

Both sure and surely are used as intensifying adverbs with the sense “undoubtedly, certainly.” In this use, sure is generally informal and occurs mainly in speech and written representations of speech: She sure dazzled the audience with her acceptance speech. It was sure hot enough in the auditorium. Surely is used in this sense in all varieties of speech and writing, even the most formal: The court ruled that the law was surely meant to apply to both profit-making and nonprofit organizations. See also quick, slow.
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • sureness noun
  • oversure adjective
  • oversurely adverb
  • oversureness noun
  • unsure adjective
  • unsurely adverb
  • unsureness noun
  • ˈܰԱ noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of sure1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sur(e), from Middle French sur, Old French seur, from Latin ŧūܲ “cڰ”; secure
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of sure1

C14: from Old French seur, from Latin ŧūܲ secure
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. for sure, as a certainty; surely.

    It's going to be a good day, for sure.

  2. make sure, to be or become absolutely certain.

    I'm calling to make sure that you remember to come.

  3. to be sure,

    1. without doubt; surely; certainly.

    2. admittedly.

      She sings well, to be sure, but she can't act.

  4. sure enough, as might have been supposed; actually; certainly.

    Sure enough, the picnic was rained out.

In addition to the idioms beginning with sure, also see for certain (sure); make sure; slow but sure; to be sure.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"The two tournaments have different personalities and we want to make sure the women's event has its own identity," Robson told BBC 5 Live.

From

That loss immediately punctured the invincibility of Norco and had Robinson making sure his players kept working hard.

From

“Kids are worried about that, and so let’s make sure we talk it over with them. How may a potential separation impact them?”

From

I called him this week — I have more stuff that I need to get rid of, and I was pretty sure he could use the work.

From

“As sure as the turning of the Earth, this is going to be the most fundamental radical transformation in all human history, going back to the absolute beginning.”

From

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When To Use

What are other ways to saysure?



Someone who is sure of something is free from doubt about its reliability or character. How does sure compare to synonyms certain, confident, or positive? Learn more on Thesaurus.com. 

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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surdsure as shooting