surely
Americanadverb
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firmly; unerringly; without missing, slipping, etc.
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undoubtedly, assuredly, or certainly.
The results are surely encouraging.
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(in emphatic utterances that are not necessarily sustained by fact) assuredly.
Surely you are mistaken.
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inevitably or without fail.
Slowly but surely the end approached.
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yes, indeed.
Surely, I'll go with you!
adverb
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without doubt; assuredly
things could surely not have been worse
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without fail; inexorably (esp in the phrase slowly but surely )
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(sentence modifier) am I not right in thinking that?; I am sure that
surely you don't mean it?
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rare in a sure manner
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archaic safely; securely
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(sentence substitute) willingly; of course; yes
Commonly Confused
See sure.
Etymology
Origin of surely
First recorded in 1300–50, surely is from the Middle English word surliche. See sure, -ly
Explanation
Use the adverb surely to emphasize your certainty about a point. For example, you could tell your friend that her painting is so good that she'll surely win the art contest. The word surely can fill in for definitely or absolutely. It comes in handy especially when you're surprised that anyone would doubt what you're saying: "I can't believe the school banned that book. Surely kids should have access to classic literature." Surely comes from the same roots as sure, from the Old French seur, "secure, undoubted, or dependable," and the Latin securus, "free from care, untroubled, or safe."
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.
However, the developer surely looks to be able to count on local customers such as Julian Bostic, who moved into a home not far from the Village in 2020, only to see it burn down.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
As time ticked by, slowly but surely the Moon obscured more of the Sun - acting like a dimmer switch as it did so.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Wyden’s paper wasn’t accompanied by any revenue projections, but given the AI buildout, the numbers would surely be huge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
“It does not surprise me that we’re starting to see some improvements … But we’re surely still falling short of other Western democracies.”
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
Her parents and friends all knew she was working on the mountain— news of the explosions would surely travel fast, and she didn’t want anyone to worry.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
