ENGLISH
REFERENCE

surely

adv.
US //ˈʃʊɹɫi// UK //ʃˈɔːli// sure·ly
  1. 1 expressing certainty or surprise (adv.)
    B1 Intermediate

    you use this when you are almost certain something is true and you expect others to agree.

    used to express a strong belief that something is true, often with an underlying tone of surprise or an appeal for confirmation.

    Example

    Surely you aren't going out in this heavy rain without an umbrella?

    Example

    Surely the board must recognise that continuing with this strategy will lead to a significant deficit by the end of the fiscal year.

    Usage

    Often placed at the beginning of a sentence to challenge a previous statement or to seek agreement.
  2. 2 slowly but steadily (adv.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    happening in a steady way that does not fail, even if it is slow.

    in a reliable, steady, or inevitable manner; most common in the fixed phrase 'slowly but surely'.

    Example

    The climbers moved slowly but surely toward the top of the mountain.

    Example

    The legal team worked slowly but surely to dismantle the witness's testimony, uncovering small inconsistencies over several days of cross-examination.

    Usage

    Frequently occurs in the idiomatic pairing 'slowly but surely'.
    • uncertainly
    • waveringly
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  1. 3 with confidence (adv.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    doing something in a way that shows you are sure of yourself.

    with a firm, confident, or steady manner that indicates a lack of hesitation.

    Example

    She spoke surely and clearly, making everyone in the room listen.

    Example

    The surgeon moved surely, his hands showing no sign of the fatigue that usually follows a twelve-hour shift.

    Teacher's tip

    In modern spoken English, 'confidently' or 'steadily' is much more common for this sense; 'surely' used this way often feels formal or literary.
    • hesitantly
Origin

From Middle English surely; equivalent to sure + -ly.

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