surety

American  

[shoor-i-tee, shoor-tee, shur-i-tee, shur-tee] / ˈʃʊər ɪ ti, ˈʃʊər ti, ˈʃɜr ɪ ti, ˈʃɜr ti /

noun

• sureties
  plural

1. security against loss or damage or for the fulfillment of an obligation, the payment of a debt, etc.; a pledge, guaranty, or bond.

2. a person who is legally responsible for the debt, default, or delinquency of another.

3. a person who, as a sponsor, godparent, etc., has assumed or accepted responsibility for another's debts or behavior.

4. the state or quality of being sure.

5. certainty.

6. something that makes sure; ground of confidence or safety.

7. assurance, especially self-assurance.

---

surety British  

/ ˈʃʊətɪ, ˈʃʊərɪtɪ /

noun

1. a person who assumes legal responsibility for the fulfilment of another's debt or obligation and himself becomes liable if the other defaults

2. security given against loss or damage or as a guarantee that an obligation will be met

3. obsolete the quality or condition of being sure

4. obsolete a means of assurance or safety

5. to act as a surety

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• oversurety
  noun
• subsurety
  noun
• suretyship
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sureties
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of surety

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English surte from Middle French; Old French seurte from Latin sēcūritāt-, stem of sēcūritās security

---

Explanation

A surety is a fact that no one questions. Surety, in a legal sense, is the security you can provide when you apply for a loan. When you're sure of something, you're positive it's true. Such things are sureties, because they inspire such confidence. Also, there's a legal type of surety. If you take out a loan, a house you own could be a surety: it could be claimed by your creditors if you don't repay the loan. That type of surety provides security (or insecurity, if you fail to pay back the loan).

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

surety sureties

Merle at Autovol agreed that the surety bond proposal would likely benefit newer manufacturers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

Mr. Lendorf stood out for his unerring, dignified demeanor and the clarity of his pliant upper-body carriage against the marvelous surety of his cats-paw footwork and quietly powerful legwork.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026

"So being able to give greater surety, greater security is going to be key to viable farming structure going forward."

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2025

We’re well on the way to a future of absolute weather uncertainty—no surety to forecasts, a weakened ability to transmit emergency alerts—that we’ll nevertheless have to pay for out of our own pockets.

From Slate ● May 22, 2025

Of course this is granting that the person knows the evidence with surety.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

The identities of the sureties had been a mystery since May, when Mr. Santos pleaded not guilty to a 13-count indictment.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 22, 2023

Requesting £1,000 cash sureties as part of the release terms, Mr Justice Rooney confirmed they are to be prohibited from entering any Tesco stores in the UK.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2023

Eight media outlets, including The Associated Press, say the names should be unsealed because of the gravity of Bankman-Fried’s alleged crimes and because there is legal precedent for disclosing the names of bail sureties.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2023

The lawyers said there was "serious cause for concern" the additional sureties might suffer similar treatment if their names went public.

From Reuters ● Jan. 12, 2023

“Would you like to know who his sureties are?”

From An Oregon Girl A Tale of American Life in the New West by Alfred Ernest Rice

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---