What does certainly mean?

Definitions for certainly
ˈsɜr tn licer·tain·ly

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word certainly.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. surely, certainly, sure, for sure, for certain, sure enough, sure as shootingadverb

    definitely or positively (`sure' is sometimes used informally for `surely')

    "the results are surely encouraging"; "she certainly is a hard worker"; "it's going to be a good day for sure"; "they are coming, for certain"; "they thought he had been killed sure enough"; "he'll win sure as shooting"; "they sure smell good"; "sure he'll come"

Wiktionary

  1. certainlyadverb

    In a way which is certain; with certainty.

  2. certainlyadverb

    Without doubt, surely; of course.

  3. certainlyadverb

    An emphatic affirmative answer.

    Would you like it with ice? Certainly, and with lemon please.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Certainlyadverb

    Etymology: from certain.

    Certainly he that, by those legal means, cannot be secured, can be much less so by any private attempt. Decay of Piety.

    What precise collection of simple ideas, modesty or frugality stand for, in another’s use, is not so certainly known. John Locke.

ChatGPT

  1. certainly

    Certainly is an adverb that is used to express complete conviction or certainty, agreement with something, or to emphasize that something is definitely true. It suggests an absence of doubt about something.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Certainlyadverb

    without doubt or question; unquestionably

Editors Contribution

  1. certainlyadverb

    In a certain manner

    We certainly require some night rain for the garden and fields.


    Submitted by MaryC on May 30, 2020  

Suggested Resources

  1. certainly

    Certainly vs. Definitely -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between Certainly and Definitely.

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'certainly' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #572

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'certainly' in Written Corpus Frequency: #323

  3. Adverbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'certainly' in Adverbs Frequency: #71

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce certainly?

How to say certainly in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of certainly in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of certainly in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of certainly in a Sentence

  1. Justice Michael Katz:

    I certainly would encourage you to try to work out a plan together with your attorneys ’ assistance, it certainly would be better for Justice Michael Katz son if Justice Michael Katz could do that. It would save Justice Michael Katz a lot of stress.

  2. Pat Ryder:

    There's certainly significant defensive obstacles in their way, this is an Iraqi-led operation. They will move at their pace, and so we are supportive of their plan but it's certainly something that we're discussing with them.

  3. Jackson Browne:

    My symptoms are really pretty mild, so I don't require any kind of medication and certainly not hospitalization or anything like that.

  4. Scott Huffmon:

    Oil companies are hesitant to invest in raising production and building new capacity because the administration has openly, openly indicated that it will be pushing Americans away from consuming fossil fuels. And that certainly has an impact on the future viability of the oil sector. And I think that's why we probably won't see much meaningful improvement. the party of the president traditionally loses seats in midterm elections. High prices at the pump can exacerbate anger at the ‘incumbent’ party.

  5. Paul Nolte:

    Markets opened modestly lower after yesterday's big rally and then the ISM number came out just barely above 50, stocks are recovering a little bit, but it goes on the side of the ledger that indicates that the U.S. and the global economies are certainly not growing at a robust rate.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

certainly#1#2894#10000

Translations for certainly

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • بدون نقاش, من المؤكد, بدون شك, بالتأكيدArabic
  • әлбиттәBashkir
  • разбира се, безспорно, несъмненоBulgarian
  • certamentCatalan, Valencian
  • určitě, nepochybně, jistě, zajistéCzech
  • sicherlich, natürlich, zweifellos, gewiss, sicher, freilichGerman
  • ασφαλώς, σίγουρα, βεβαίωςGreek
  • ciertamente, sin duda, por supuestoSpanish
  • بطور محرزPersian
  • kyllä kiitos, varmasti, epäilemättä, totta kai, todellakin, ilman muutaFinnish
  • sans aucun doute, sans nul doute, certainement, évidemment, pour sûr, sûrement, bien sûrFrench
  • בוודאי, בוודאותHebrew
  • अवश्यHindi
  • անշուշտ, իհարկե, անկասկածArmenian
  • certoInterlingua
  • certeIdo
  • certamenteItalian
  • 確実, 全く, もちろん, 確かに, その通り, 絶対, 必ずJapanese
  • 확실히Korean
  • ئه‌کیدKurdish
  • anaoa, apa ia, āpāiaMāori
  • waarlijk, zeker, en of, beslist, voorzekerDutch
  • z pewnością, na pewno, zdecydowaniePolish
  • certamente, sem dúvidaPortuguese
  • bineînțeles, desigurRomanian
  • безусловно, несомненно, наверняка, конечно, непременноRussian
  • несумњиво, дакако, наравно, nesumnjivo, doista, zacijelo, naravno, sigurno, svakako, свакако, dakakoSerbo-Croatian
  • நிச்சயமாகTamil
  • безумовноUkrainian
  • اوشیےUrdu

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"certainly." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LTD, 2026. Web. 22 Jul 2026. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/certainly>.

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    a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect
    A emanate
    B loom
    C summon
    D affront

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