certainty
gb/sˈɚtənti/ us/sˈɚtənti/
B1
English
~ 3700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
complete confidence or sureness
Being completely sure that something is true or will happen.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has certainty about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'certainty' with 'certainty of' and omit the preposition when needed, e.g., 'I have certainty it will rain' instead of 'I have certainty of it raining'.
Synonyms
confidence (Often refers to a feeling of trust or belief, not always absolute.)
|
assurance (More formal; suggests a strong guarantee or promise-like feeling.)
Antonyms
doubt (Represents uncertainty or lack of confidence in something.)
|
uncertainty (Direct opposite; a state of not being sure.)
Collocations
absolute certainty
|express certainty
|with certainty
|moral certainty
Themes
emotions
|thinking
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She spoke with certainty about the results of the test.
- There is no certainty that the event will go ahead.
- His certainty gave the team the confidence to continue.
- I can say with certainty that he was there.
- We cannot act on mere belief; we need certainty.
Learner examples
- I am certain about my answer.
- She said it with certainty.
- There is no certainty we will win.
- He spoke with certainty about the plan.
Noun
B1
entity
2
something sure to happen or true
Something that will definitely happen or is definitely true.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a certainty
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'certainty' (noun) with 'certain' (adjective), leading to errors like 'It is certainy' instead of 'It is certain.'
Synonyms
inevitability (Emphasizes that something cannot be avoided.)
|
sure thing (Informal; emphasizes strong likelihood, often in casual speech.)
Antonyms
possibility (Indicates something might happen but is not guaranteed.)
|
risk (Suggests potential for an unwanted outcome instead of a guaranteed one.)
Collocations
a virtual certainty
|political certainty
|economic certainty
Themes
daily life
|planning
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It’s a certainty that prices will rise next year.
- Her victory in the contest was a certainty.
- Death is one of life’s few certainties.
- Given his skills, promotion is a certainty.
- The outcome was never in doubt; it was a certainty.
Learner examples
- It is a certainty that we will leave tomorrow.
- Winning is not a certainty.
- Death is a certainty for all people.
- The train's arrival on time is a certainty.
Grammar
Dictionary form
certainty
IPA
GB/sˈɚtənti/
US/sˈɚtənti/
Syllables & stress
cer - tainty (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cer)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: certainty
- Plural: certainties, certainty
Word family
Expressions
dead certainty
1/dˈɛd sˈɚtənti/
fixed phrase
informal
absolute guarantee of truth or occurrence
Something that will happen or is true without any doubt.
Examples
- It’s a dead certainty they’ll win the match.
- Her success in the interview was a dead certainty.
moral certainty
1/mˈɔɹəl sˈɚtənti/
fixed phrase
formal
very strong belief without proof
Being almost sure about something, even without complete proof.
Examples
- The jury reached a verdict with moral certainty.
- He had moral certainty that the decision was right.
with certainty
1/wˈɪθ sˈɚtənti/
fixed phrase
in a completely sure way
In a way that shows you are completely sure.
Examples
- I can say with certainty that she was there.
- No one can predict the future with certainty.