surely
gb/ʃˈʊɹli/ us/ʃˈʊɹli/
B1
Anglais
~ 1600
Sens
0 sens
adverb
B1
property
1
Without any doubt
Used to say that you are very sure something is true or will happen.
Schéma d’usage :
surely [clause]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'surely' with 'sure', using 'I am surely' instead of 'I am sure'. 'Surely' modifies the whole sentence or verb, not the subject as an adjective would.
Synonymes
certainly (Slightly more formal and neutral in tone.)
Antonymes
possibly (Suggests uncertainty instead of complete certainty.)
Collocations
surely true
|surely happen
|surely know
|surely be
Thèmes
daily life
|opinions
|emphasis
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Surely she didn't mean to offend you.
- This is surely the best pizza in town.
- He will surely win the award after such a performance.
- Surely you can see why this matters.
- They will surely arrive before noon.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She will surely come to the party.
- This is surely a good idea.
- He will surely help us.
- I surely know the answer.
- You will surely like this movie.
adverb
B2
property
2
Expressing surprise or doubt
Used to say you think something is surprising or not likely to be true.
Schéma d’usage :
Surely [clause]?
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may use 'surely' in statements when they mean disbelief; in such cases, it should be used with question form for clarity.
Synonymes
really (In questions, 'really?' also expresses disbelief but is less emphatic.)
Antonymes
of course (Indicates complete acceptance instead of doubt.)
Collocations
Surely not
|Surely you don't mean
|Surely you can't
Thèmes
opinions
|conversation
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Surely you don't expect me to believe that story.
- Surely he can't be serious about quitting.
- Surely they aren't charging that much for tickets!
- Surely you're not suggesting we cancel the trip.
- Surely she wouldn't lie about something so important.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Surely you are joking?
- Surely he is not angry?
- Surely they are not serious?
- Surely she does not want that?
- Surely this is not true?
Grammaire
Forme canonique
surely
API
GB/ʃˈʊɹli/
US/ʃˈʊɹli/
Syllabes et accentuation
surely (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (surely)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: surely
- Plural: surelies
Famille de mots
Expressions
surely enough
1/ʃˈʊɹli ɪnˈʌf/
fixed phrase
As expected, it happened
Used to say that something happened just as you thought it would.
Exemples
- I thought it might rain, and surely enough, it did.
- He promised he’d call, and surely enough, the phone rang.
surely not
1/ʃˈʊɹli nˈɑt/
fixed phrase
Strong disbelief about a negative idea
Used to say you do not believe something bad or surprising could be true.
Exemples
- Surely not! He can't have failed the test.
- Surely not—you don't mean we're lost already?