sure

[ shoo r, shur ]

/ ʃʊər, ʃɜr /

|||

adjective, sur·er, sur·est.

free from doubt as to the reliability, character, action, etc., of something: to be sure of one's data.

confident, as of something expected: sure of success.

convinced, fully persuaded, or positive: to be sure of a person's guilt.

assured or certain beyond question: a sure victory.

worthy of confidence; reliable; stable: a sure messenger.

unfailing; never disappointing expectations: a sure cure.

unerring; never missing, slipping, etc.: a sure aim.

admitting of no doubt or question: sure proof.

destined; bound inevitably; certain: sure death.

Obsolete. secure; safe.

be sure, to take care (to be or do as specified); be certain: Be sure to close the windows.

adverb

Informal. certainly; surely: It sure is cold out. Sure, I'll come.

Nearby words

surcharge, surcingle, surcoat, surculose, surd, sure, sure as shooting, sure cure, sure enough, sure of oneself, sure thing

Idioms

for sure, as a certainty; surely: It's going to be a good day, for sure.

make sure, to be or become absolutely certain: I'm calling to make sure that you remember to come.

sure enough, Informal. as might have been supposed; actually; certainly: Sure enough, the picnic was rained out.

to be sure,

without doubt; surely; certainly.
admittedly: She sings well, to be sure, but she can't act.

Origin of sure

1300–50; Middle English sur(e) < Middle French sur, Old French seur < Latin sēcūrus secure

SYNONYMS FOR sure

1 Sure, certain, confident, positive indicate full belief and trust that something is true. Sure, certain, and positive are often used interchangeably. Sure, the simplest and most general, expresses mere absence of doubt. Certain suggests that there are definite reasons that have freed one from doubt. Confident emphasizes the strength of the belief or the certainty of expectation felt. Positive implies emphatic certainty, which may even become overconfidence or dogmatism.

Related forms

sure·ness, nouno·ver·sure, adjectiveo·ver·sure·ly, adverbo·ver·sure·ness, noun

un·sure, adjectiveun·sure·ly, adverbun·sure·ness, noun

Usage note

Both sure and surely are used as intensifying adverbs with the sense “undoubtedly, certainly.” In this use, sure is generally informal and occurs mainly in speech and written representations of speech: She sure dazzled the audience with her acceptance speech. It was sure hot enough in the auditorium. Surely is used in this sense in all varieties of speech and writing, even the most formal: The court ruled that the law was surely meant to apply to both profit-making and nonprofit organizations. See also quick, slow.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for surer

The Descendants (which scored six nominations) was a surer thing, but it, too, has been divisive.
Oscar Nominations 2012: 11 Snubs and Surprises|Jacob Bernstein|January 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
This bone-chilling week, they are perhaps just a surer way to avoid frostbite.
But Can We Still Have Fun?|Kathleen Parker|January 19, 2009|DAILY BEAST
If things take the better turn, our condition will be surer and firmer than it was before.
History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XV. (of XXI.)|Thomas Carlyle
If he could only have been surer that he was inwardly sincere he would not have been uneasy over his inactivity.
The Wild Olive|Basil King

Standing on surer ground than such speculations the theology of the piece itself is sound and proper.
The Three Additions to Daniel, A Study|William Heaford Daubney
But he saw that the undertaking must have a surer basis than this haphazard ingathering of chance growths.
Cleg Kelly, Arab of the City|S. R. (Samuel Rutherford) Crockett
She prayed nightly, often in the night, when she woke up, and she was no surer of God's love than this little heathen child.
A Little Girl in Old Salem|Amanda Minnie Douglas

British Dictionary definitions for surer

sure

/ (ʃʊə, ʃɔː) /

adjective

(sometimes foll by of) free from hesitancy or uncertainty (with regard to a belief, conviction, etc)we are sure of the accuracy of the data; I am sure that he is lying

(foll by of) having no doubt, as of the occurrence of a future state or eventsure of success

always effective; unfailinga sure remedy

reliable in indication or accuracya sure criterion

(of persons) worthy of trust or confidencea sure friend

not open to doubtsure proof

admitting of no vacillation or doubthe is very sure in his beliefs

bound to be or occur; inevitablevictory is sure

(postpositive) bound inevitably (to be or do something); certainshe is sure to be there tonight

physically secure or dependablea sure footing

obsolete free from exposure to harm or danger

be sure (usually imperative or dependent imperative; takes a clause as object or an infinitive, sometimes with to replaced by and) to be careful or certainbe sure and shut the door; I told him to be sure to shut the door

for sure without a doubt; surely

make sure

(takes a clause as object) to make certain; ensure
(foll by of) to establish or confirm power or possession (over)

sure enough informal as might have been confidently expected; definitely: often used as a sentence substitute

to be sure

without doubt; certainly
it has to be acknowledged; admittedly

adverb

(sentence substitute) informal willingly; yes

(sentence modifier) informal, mainly US and Canadian without question; certainly

Derived Forms

sureness, noun

Word Origin for sure

C14: from Old French seur, from Latin sēcūrus secure

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with surer

sure

In addition to the idioms beginning with sure

sure as shooting
sure cure
sure enough
sure of oneself
sure thing

also see:

for certain (sure)
make sure
slow but sure
to be sure

sure

adjective, sur·er, sur·est.

adverb

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of sure

SYNONYMS FOR sure

Related forms

Usage note

Examples from the Web for surer

British Dictionary definitions for surer

sure

adjective

adverb

Derived Forms

Word Origin for sure

Idioms and Phrases with surer

sure