free from doubt or reservation; confident; sure: I am certain he will come.
destined; sure to happen (usually followed by an infinitive): He is certain to be there.
inevitable; bound to come: They realized then that war was certain.
established as true or sure; unquestionable; indisputable: It is certain that he tried.
fixed; agreed upon; settled: on a certain day; for a certain amount.
definite or particular, but not named or specified: A certain person phoned. He had a certain charm.
that may be depended on; trustworthy; unfailing; reliable: His aim was certain.
some though not much: a certain reluctance.
Obsolete. steadfast.
pronoun
certain ones: Certain of the members declined the invitation.
Idioms for certain
for certain, without a doubt; surely: I know for certain that I have seen that face before.
Origin of certain
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin certānus, equivalent to Latin cert(us) “sure, settled” (cer- base of cernere “to decide” + -tus past participle suffix) + -ānus-an
There are certain people you meet, and right away you can tell they have a good heart.
A Welcome Lifeline|Washington Regional Transplant Community|September 17, 2020|Washington Blade
To that end, NBCU will effectively tailor the measurement program to take into account non-advertising factors specific to certain types of advertisers.
NBCUniversal tests new measurement program to prove it can push product sales for advertisers|Tim Peterson|September 17, 2020|Digiday
James Robinson, who has spent decades researching why certain states and societies prosper, he’s come to a more nuanced understanding.
Does Anyone Really Know What Socialism Is? (Ep. 408 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 17, 2020|Freakonomics
Initially, the task force focused almost entirely on trying to keep the virus out of the country, rather than preparing for an all-but-certain outbreak in the United States, these people said.
Ten days: After an early coronavirus warning, Trump is distracted as he downplays threat|Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, Yasmeen Abutaleb|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
It was an isolated examination of a certain time period, one that we’re now past.
The problem with Trump’s ‘herd mentality’ line isn’t the verbal flub. It’s the mass death.|Philip Bump|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
Certain features of its history suggest why this may be the case.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Unlike the Soviet Union at a certain period in history, the Russian economy does not hold a candle to that of the United States.
Oliver Stone’s Latest Dictator Suckup|James Kirchick|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I believe in the power of institutions—Congress, public policy, certain ideas about politics—that last for a long time.
Thank Congress, Not LBJ for Great Society|Julian Zelizer, Scott Porch|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And a certain presumed presidential candidate needs to be doing it, too.
The Democrats’ Black Hole—and What They Can Do About It|Michael Tomasky|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Canned drinks like Mercy contain up 5,000 percent of the daily value of certain vitamins.