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Synonyms

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There are, to be sure, some cases that involve the divine but they are not the norm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

I want you to be sure that you’re making the right choice, given everything you have going for you and your family right here, right now.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Baffert said the filly appeared OK but would undergo diagnostic tests to be sure.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

There’s stiff competition for that position, to be sure, but he outdid himself with this dissent.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

Just to be sure, she did it again.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.