1
: in a sure manner:
a
archaic
: without danger or risk of injury or loss : safely
b(1)
: with assurance : confidently
answered quickly and surely
(2)
: without doubt : certainly
They will surely be heard from in the future.—
R. J. Lifton
R. J. Lifton
Sure vs. Surely: Usage Guide
Sure and surely are both used as simple intensives. Sure is informal and typically used when the speaker or writer expects to be agreed with.
She sure knew how to make me laugh.
That sure was fun.
Surely can occur in formal contexts and is used whether or not agreement is expected.
Surely you jest.
It is often applied when someone is making an effort to persuade.
a book surely worth anyone's time
Examples of surely in a Sentence
She answered quickly and surely.
He will surely be missed.
This is surely the best dessert you have ever made.
Surely you must admit that it was a good decision.
Recent Examples on the Web
At a time when colleges offer free tuition and board and pay players to play, surely funds can be found to house and feed lacrosse players.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2026
Meaning an indictment surely would have been rejected by grand jurors.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Crippled by his Ukraine misadventure, Vladimir Putin is surely defining success down.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2026
Somewhere in the country, surely, dentures tumbled.
—Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surely
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Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2026
Meaning an indictment surely would have been rejected by grand jurors.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Crippled by his Ukraine misadventure, Vladimir Putin is surely defining success down.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2026
Somewhere in the country, surely, dentures tumbled.
—Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surely
Cite this Entry
“Surely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surely. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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surely
adverb
sure·ly
ˈshu̇(ə)r-lē 
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