surely

American  

[shoor-lee, shur-] / ˈʃʊər li, ˈʃɜr- /

adverb

1. firmly; unerringly; without missing, slipping, etc.

2. undoubtedly, assuredly, or certainly.

   The results are surely encouraging.

3. (in emphatic utterances that are not necessarily sustained by fact) assuredly.

   Surely you are mistaken.

4. inevitably or without fail.

   Slowly but surely the end approached.

5. yes, indeed.

   Surely, I'll go with you!

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surely British  

/ ˈʃʊəlɪ, ˈʃɔː- /

adverb

1. without doubt; assuredly

   things could surely not have been worse

2. without fail; inexorably (esp in the phrase slowly but surely )

3. (sentence modifier) am I not right in thinking that?; I am sure that

   surely you don't mean it?

4. rare in a sure manner

5. archaic safely; securely

6. (sentence substitute) willingly; of course; yes

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Commonly Confused

See sure.

Etymology

Origin of surely

First recorded in 1300–50, surely is from the Middle English word surliche. See sure, -ly

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Explanation

Use the adverb surely to emphasize your certainty about a point. For example, you could tell your friend that her painting is so good that she'll surely win the art contest. The word surely can fill in for definitely or absolutely. It comes in handy especially when you're surprised that anyone would doubt what you're saying: "I can't believe the school banned that book. Surely kids should have access to classic literature." Surely comes from the same roots as sure, from the Old French seur, "secure, undoubted, or dependable," and the Latin securus, "free from care, untroubled, or safe."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

surely

Our churches will surely resolve their objective differences more readily if the faithful harbor mutual affinity and a sincere desire for unity, as expressed through prayer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Then surely a 60-40 portfolio won’t come out ahead.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

Though he said "if someone was awake at that hour, they surely heard something".

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Slowly but surely, it eased its way into the water and swam away.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

If so, she would surely go down in the history books as a hero to all in the theatrical firmament.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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Related Words

• absolutely
• assuredly
• certainly
• clearly
• definitely
• evidently
• indeed
• inevitably
• inexorably
• plainly
• undoubtedly
• unquestionably

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