certified
Americanadjective
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having or proved by a certificate.
a certified representative.
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guaranteed; reliably endorsed.
a certified check.
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legally declared insane.
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committed to a mental institution.
adjective
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holding or guaranteed by a certificate
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endorsed or guaranteed
a certified cheque
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(of a person) declared legally insane
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of certified
Explanation
If you've met a certain standard or proven that you're qualified for some specific job or task, you're certified. Most schools hire only certified teachers. In order for a person to become certified, there is usually some sort of test or review. A certified accountant has proven that she knows how to prepare tax forms and other financial records by taking classes and an exam. A certified diver has trained to use scuba gear and dive to a certain depth in the ocean, and demonstrated this ability. When you're certified in some way, you often receive a certificate, a document that proves it.
Vocabulary lists containing certified
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.
About 4% of the roughly 127,000 veterinarians in the U.S. are certified to perform acupuncture, according to the American Board of Veterinary Acupuncture.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
Now he's taken that alphabet and turned it into a certified Eurovision banger.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
“They lack the taste, consistency, and other physical characteristics associated by consumers with certified San Marzano Tomatoes,” the lawsuit states.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Disney announced the program at the industry’s annual CinemaCon conference last month and intends to have a number of PLF screens certified by fall, in time for the new Avengers movie.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026
Open to the public, the Marshall Library was also being certified for the storage of classified documents.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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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.