a certain
phrase
1
—used to refer to a quality that is noticed but that is difficult to explain or describe
She has a certain elegance about her.
The house has a certain charm.
2
formal
—used with the name of a person one does not know
In 1889, a certain Mr. Kelly made a large donation to the church.
Examples of a certain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Warranty costs are the expenses an automaker incurs to cover repairs, replacements and other costs for defective parts or workmanship under a certain period of time or miles driven after customers purchase a new vehicle.
—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Making new friends isn’t something that has to stop at a certain point in your life.
—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 July 2026
The choice to promote was obvious because that person had been showing up a certain way for a while.
—
Somdutta Singh,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
And at the other end would be Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States, which is widely read among teenagers and does have a certain appeal.
—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for a certain
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show current usage.
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Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Making new friends isn’t something that has to stop at a certain point in your life.
—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 July 2026
The choice to promote was obvious because that person had been showing up a certain way for a while.
—
Somdutta Singh,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
And at the other end would be Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States, which is widely read among teenagers and does have a certain appeal.
—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for a certain
Cite this Entry
“A certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20certain. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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