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

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

"We conduct land and air operation from helicopters. There haven't been any reports on missing persons, but we are still scouring the area just to be sure."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

And to be sure, “The Samurai and the Prisoner” can be a bit languid as its stretches to nearly two-and-a-half hours.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

That has also pushed its price to about 25 times forward earnings—a relatively rich valuation, to be sure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Nuthatches, warblers, sparrows, and the occasional wood dove—perfectly acceptable birds all, to be sure, but where were the sage and mysterious owls?

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

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