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.
“That’s one of the things I’m going to make sure I do, is encourage him.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
When she was asked, Whitmer demurred: “My goal is always to make sure the investment happens here,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
"You wouldn't put holes in your flask if you wanted to keep the ice in. You'd close the cap and make sure it is firmly twisted on. It's the same in this house."
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
I’d also make sure there was a corporate trustee or a truly trusted friend involved, because I wouldn’t trust my daughter to manage a large inheritance herself.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
“She has to keep her distance to make sure the arrows reveal themselves to you. You remember what happened the other times. Being an adult must suck.”
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
