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surefire

American  
[shoor-fahyuhr, shur-] / ˈʃʊərˌfaɪər, ˈʃɜr- /

adjective

  1. sure to work; foolproof.

    a surefire moneymaking scheme.


Etymology

Origin of surefire

First recorded in 1915–20; sure + fire

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.

See Examples For:

Rarely will you encounter a surefire "tell" that will unmask an AI fake.

From BBC Jul. 11, 2026

One surefire way to annoy a troll is to call their efforts for attention an “obsession.”

From Salon Jun. 25, 2026

Luring in the best players is a surefire way to win on the field, and those efforts can compound over time.

From MarketWatch Apr. 7, 2026

Nor was it the sort of night to convince you of UCLA’s chances as a surefire conference contender.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 12, 2026

And yes, that’s a surefire way to find your tools rusted.”

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

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