certainly

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled cert’nly

US /ˈsɝ.tn̩.li/ UK /ˈsɜː.tn̩.li/ See IPA manual

Freq #770

Meanings

1

adv
Without any doubt; definitely.

This is certainly the best meal I have had all year.
2

adv
Used as a strong, polite way of saying yes.

"Could you help me?" "Certainly."

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · without any doubt; definitely. definitely surely undoubtedly

More assuredly categorically decisively doubtless positivelyquestionlesslyself-evidentlyunarguablyunconditionallyundeniably undoubtably univocally

Opposites

arguably conditionallydebatablydeniablydoubtfully questionably uncertainly

Word family

Derived forms soitenly

Related forms certain irrefutable

Etymology

From Middle English certeynly; equivalent to certain + -ly.

certeynly Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# certainly

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɝ.tn̩.li/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɜː.tn̩.li/
**Frequency rank:** 770

## Meanings
1. Without any doubt; definitely.
2. Used as a strong, polite way of saying yes.

## Examples
- This is certainly the best meal I have had all year.
- "Could you help me?" "Certainly."

## Synonyms
- assuredly
- categorically
- decisively
- doubtless
- positively
- questionlessly
- self-evidently
- unarguably
- unconditionally
- undeniably
- undoubtably
- univocally

## Antonyms
- arguably
- conditionally
- debatably
- deniably
- doubtfully
- questionably
- uncertainly

## Derived Forms
- soitenly

## Related Forms
- certain
- irrefutable

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: certeynly

## Etymology
From Middle English certeynly; equivalent to certain + -ly.

## AI Etymology
certainly is an adverb. It is from Middle English certeynly; equivalent to certain + -ly. Historical forms in the chain include certeynly (Middle English). Current senses include without any doubt; definitely and used as a strong, polite way of saying yes. Derived forms include soitenly. Related words include certain and irrefutable.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

markdown