Word
certain
Phoneticscer·tain, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsɝtən/
UK/sˈɜːtən/
Definitions
01sure or confident
A2 · Elementary
adj. to be completely sure about something in your mind.
adj. convinced of the truth of a particular fact or idea; possessing no doubt.
日本語:確か※
“I am certain that I locked the front door before we left.”
“The researchers are certain of their findings, having replicated the experiment under controlled conditions three times.”
Pitfall
I am certain for the results.
I am certain of the results.
Use the preposition 'of' or 'about' after certain when followed by a noun phrase.
02inevitable
B1 · Intermediate
adj. sure to happen; something that cannot be avoided.
adj. inevitable or destined to occur; established as a factual certainty.
日本語:確実※
“It is certain that the sun will rise tomorrow morning.”
“Failure was almost certain once the primary engine lost pressure during the ascent.”
Synonyms
03specific but unnamed
B1 · Intermediate
det. used to talk about a particular person or thing without giving their name or exact details.
det. referring to a specific but unspecified individual, group, or thing; often used to introduce a topic without exhaustive detail.
日本語:某※
“A certain person told me that you were looking for a new job.”
“There are certain risks involved in this investment that we must discuss before signing the contract.”
Synonyms
04limited or some
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. used to describe a limited amount of a quality, like 'a certain amount of luck'.
adj. denoting a limited or definite extent or degree of a quality.
“You need a certain amount of patience to teach young children.”
“The project requires a certain level of expertise that the current staff does not yet possess.”
05some members of a group
C1 · Advanced Formal
pron. some people or things in a group, but not all of them.
pron. referring to an unspecified but restricted number of members within a larger set.
“Certain of the guests decided to leave the party early.”
“Certain of the documents were found to be forged, casting doubt on the entire legal proceeding.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “certain” in context.
Real-World Examples
“Certainty is a curse of our age. It is a pandemic. And I've never been more certain about anything.” Etymology
From Middle English certeyn, certein, certain, borrowed from Old French certain, from a Vulgar Latin unattested form *certānus, extended form of Latin certus (“fixed, resolved, certain”), of the same origin as cretus, past participle of cernere (“to separate, perceive, decide”). Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewiss (“certain, sure”)) and alternative Middle English spelling sertane (“some, certain”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/certain
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0