certainly
advUK /ˈsɜː.tn̩.li/ · CA, US /ˈsɝ.tn̩.li/
Etymology From Middle English certeynly; equivalent to certain + -ly.
1
In a way which is certain; with certainty.
- he verily thought he had young live frogs in his belly, qui vivebant ex alimento suo, that lived by his nourishment, and was so certainly persuaded of it, that for many years following he could not be rectified in his conceit., I.iii.2.2
- The torque was "built up" in the special back axle and the car crawled tankwise but very certainly over the obstacles without a jar or hesitation.1923, A. A. Hill, Automobile Dealer and Repairer, page 30:
2
Without doubt, surely.
- The accident was certainly caused by human error.
- That was certainly sweet of him.
3 more examples
- 'I'm all grown up now' -'You certainly have (grown)!'
- So this was my future home, I thought! Certainly it made a brave picture. I had seen similar ones fired-in on many a Heidelberg stein. Backed by towering hills,[…]a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
- WikiLeaks did not cause these uprisings but it certainly informed them. The dispatches revealed details of corruption and kleptocracy that many Tunisians suspected, but could not prove, and would cite as they took to the streets.2013 June 7, Gary Younge, “Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 18:
3
An emphatic affirmative answer; of course.
- Would you like it with ice? Certainly, and with lemon please.
- Synonyms
43 terms
absolutely, beyond doubt, indubitably, sure thing, undoubtedly, wis, without a doubt, definitely, doubtlessly, in fact, indeed, indisputably, no doubt, really, sure, surely, truly, unquestionably, rightly, damn right, damn straight, fo shizzle, for sure, oh yeah, wye aye, assuredly, certainly, categorically, decisively, doubtless, ex facie, for a fact, for certain, positively, questionlessly, self-evidently, unarguably, undeniably, unconditionally, undoubtably, univocally, without doubt, without question- Antonyms
- arguably, conditionally, debatably, deniably, doubtfully, questionably, uncertainly
- Derived terms
- soitenly
- Related terms
- certain, irrefutable
- Hypernyms
- obviously