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
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
certainlyadverb
In a way which is certain; with certainty.
certainlyadverb
Without doubt, surely; of course.
certainlyadverb
An emphatic affirmative answer.
Would you like it with ice? Certainly, and with lemon please.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
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
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
Certainlyadverb
without doubt or question; unquestionably
Editors Contribution
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
certainly
Certainly vs. Definitely -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between Certainly and Definitely.
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'certainly' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #572
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'certainly' in Written Corpus Frequency: #323
Adverbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'certainly' in Adverbs Frequency: #71
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
- 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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of certainly in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of certainly in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8
Examples of certainly in a Sentence
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.
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.
My symptoms are really pretty mild, so I don't require any kind of medication and certainly not hospitalization or anything like that.
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.
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
References
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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