to be sure

Idioms  

1. Undoubtedly, certainly, of course, as in The coat is expensive, to be sure, but it's bound to last longer than a cheap one. This idiom was first recorded in 1657.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

to be sure

Many stores carry iterations of the same styles, and in the wake of fast fashion, buying vintage clothing is the easiest way to be sure that what you’re wearing is different.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Internal political pressures, to be sure, also exist in Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

But check with your local branch to be sure.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

Interviewing prisoners of war is not straightforward: to be sure they are not being coerced, first and foremost, and then to assess how openly they are speaking in the circumstances.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

I have to check their faces to be sure, but they are absolutely serious.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Related Words

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