certainty

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The feeling or state of being completely sure that something is true, with no room for doubt.

   Grammar: No plural and no article: I can say it with certainty, not with a certainty.

   Patterns

   • with certainty
   • certainty about something
   • certainty that something

   Nobody can say with certainty when the storm will arrive.

   She spoke with the certainty of someone who had checked the facts twice.

   There is no certainty that the plan will work.

2. 2nouncountable

   Something that is sure to happen or definitely true.

   Grammar: Often singular with a: it is a certainty. Followed by an infinitive or a that-clause is also possible.

   Patterns

   • a certainty
   • be a certainty to do something

   With that lead, victory is a near certainty.

   Rising prices are one of the few certainties of the coming year.

   Death and taxes are often called life's only certainties.

Word forms

Common combinations

absolute certainty

I cannot say with absolute certainty who took it.

with certainty

Scientists cannot yet predict the outcome with certainty.

near certainty

Rain tomorrow is a near certainty.

moral certainty

The judge spoke of moral certainty rather than proof.

lack of certainty

The lack of certainty made planning difficult.

Synonyms and how they differ

confidence

Confidence is a feeling of trust that something is right, but it allows for some doubt, whereas certainty does not.

conviction

Conviction stresses a firm belief that may rest on values rather than evidence, while certainty suggests firm knowledge.

assurance

Assurance often means a promise or calm self-belief, and it is less about facts than certainty is.

inevitability

Inevitability describes an event that cannot be avoided, while certainty can also describe something merely sure or known.

Opposites

Word family

certain adjective

completely sure, or definitely going to happen

certainly adverb

without doubt, or as a polite yes

uncertainty noun

the state of being unsure

certitude noun

a very strong, formal sense of being sure

ascertain verb

to find out something for certain

Commonly confused: certainty or certitude?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “certainty”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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