certitude
noun
cer·ti·tude ˈsər-tə-ˌtüd 
also -ˌtyüd
plural certitudes
1
: the state of being or feeling certain
2
: certainty of act or event
3
: something that is certain : certainty
In the United States, death is feared … . Though it is a certitude that we all must deal with someday …
Anne M. Johnson
Anne M. Johnson
Synonyms
- assurance
- assuredness
- certainty
- cocksureness
- confidence
- conviction
- doubtlessness
- face
- positiveness
- satisfaction
- sureness
- surety
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
believes with certitude that he is the best candidate for the job
Recent Examples on the Web Climate tech companies are chomping at the bit to leverage that certitude in order to tap a vast pool of private tax equity financing, said Danny Kennedy, CEO of New Energy Nexus, a network of climate startup incubators. Tim Mcdonnell, Quartz, 12 Aug. 2022 Kmet has seen the way the Bears’ new offense puts Fields on the move more frequently and has heard the certitude in the way Fields has called plays. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2022 During the pandemic, serious scientists—in and out of public life—have let their status as discoverers of important but ever-contingent knowledge be hijacked by the authoritarians of certitude. Daniel Henninger, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2022 In their writings and lectures, both men tended not so much to argue their positions as to proclaim them, embracing a certitude that sometimes comes off as smug, even arrogant. Danny Heitman, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Dec. 2021 That column the other day assailing extremist certitude and extolling glorious ambivalence ... John Brummett, Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2021 Regardless of ideology, holding oneself above others based on certitude is dangerous. Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2021 Instead of encouraging the dialogue of democratic process, the fundamentalists seek to impose their own rigid certitude unilaterally. Salvatore J. Cordileone And Jim Daly, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2021 Armed with nothing but tenacity and moral certitude, the surgeons painstakingly piece together Duntsch's history of dangerous incompetence. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 8 July 2021 See More
Tim Mcdonnell, Quartz, 12 Aug. 2022 Kmet has seen the way the Bears’ new offense puts Fields on the move more frequently and has heard the certitude in the way Fields has called plays. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2022 During the pandemic, serious scientists—in and out of public life—have let their status as discoverers of important but ever-contingent knowledge be hijacked by the authoritarians of certitude. Daniel Henninger, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2022 In their writings and lectures, both men tended not so much to argue their positions as to proclaim them, embracing a certitude that sometimes comes off as smug, even arrogant. Danny Heitman, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Dec. 2021 That column the other day assailing extremist certitude and extolling glorious ambivalence ... John Brummett, Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2021 Regardless of ideology, holding oneself above others based on certitude is dangerous. Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2021 Instead of encouraging the dialogue of democratic process, the fundamentalists seek to impose their own rigid certitude unilaterally. Salvatore J. Cordileone And Jim Daly, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2021 Armed with nothing but tenacity and moral certitude, the surgeons painstakingly piece together Duntsch's history of dangerous incompetence. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 8 July 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Late Latin certitudo, from Latin certus
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
certitude
noun
as in certainty
a state of mind in which one is free from doubt believes with certitude that he is the best candidate for the job Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- certainty
- assurance
- confidence
- conviction
- satisfaction
- assuredness
- sureness
- positiveness
- surety
- cocksureness
- dogmatism
- authoritarianism
- doubtlessness
- determination
- face
- decisiveness
- resoluteness
- firmness
- purposefulness
- resolution
- resolve
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- uncertainty
- doubt
- incertitude
- hesitation
- irresolution
- incredulity
- hesitancy
- disbelief
- indecisiveness
- unbelief
- anxiety
- concern
- distrust
- nonconfidence
- suspicion
- mistrust
- misgiving
Synonym Chooser
The words certainty and conviction are common synonyms of certitude. While all three words mean "a state of being free from doubt," certitude may emphasize a faith in something not needing or not capable of proof.
believes with certitude in an afterlife
Both certainty and certitude are very close; certainty may stress the existence of objective proof.
claims that cannot be confirmed with scientific certainty
The words conviction and certitude are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conviction applies especially to belief strongly held by an individual.
holds firm convictions on every issue