certainty

[sur-tn-tee]

noun

plural

certainties 

1. the state of being certain.

   Synonyms: confidence, assurance, certitude

2. something certain; an assured fact.

   Synonyms: truth

certainty

/ ˈsɜːtəntɪ /

noun

1. the condition of being certain

2. something established as certain or inevitable

3. without doubt

Other Word Forms

• noncertainty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of certainty¹

1250–1300; Middle English certeinte < Anglo-French, equivalent to certein certain + -te -ty ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. for / of a certainty, certainly; without a doubt.

   I suspect it, but I don't know it for a certainty.

Synonym Study

See belief.

Example Sentences

Ahead of the Budget, the Eurotunnel called on the government to "provide certainty on business rates".

Read more on BBC

"This study gives us a little more certainty about how Earth evolved, and why it's so special."

Read more on Science Daily

Hospital stocks have been hit in recent weeks by the growing certainty that Congress won’t extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that made insurance plans sold on the Obamacare exchanges more affordable for many Americans.

Read more on Barron's

Read more: Americans are ‘revenge saving’ after years of splurging: ‘Savings are a great way to have some certainty’

Read more on MarketWatch

Markets now believe that there is less than a 50% chance of a cut by year end, something which had been a near certainty a month ago, she adds.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• confidence 
• inevitability www.thesaurus.com
• trust