make sure
Idioms-
Make certain, establish something without doubt, as in Make sure all the doors are locked . It is also put as make sure of , as in Before you make that speech, make sure of your facts . This usage was first recorded in 1565.
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make sure of . Act so as to be certain of something, as in He wanted to make sure of his own district before seeking support elsewhere . This usage was first recorded in 1673.
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.
“Start looking now, but set up price alerts to watch the fares for you, then just make sure to get something locked in around the two-month-out mark,” she says.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
“We are trying to calm the streets to make sure things don’t escalate further,” said Razi El Hage, a Lebanese Forces member of parliament representing the area.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
And they were so knowledgeable and like, “Go back and look at everything that you’ve done the last 10 years, and review everything, and make sure that they can’t use your likeness in the future.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
"There's different models that schools will use to try and make sure that young people are not having parts of the curriculum obliterated because you don't have those staff - but sometimes it's really difficult."
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
I tried my clothes on to make sure they still fit right, then tried on a backup outfit before returning to the green sweater.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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.
