Word
surest
US/ˈʃʊɹɪst/
UK/ʃˈɔːɹəst/
Definition
adj. most certain or most likely to work or be true. You use it when you compare choices and pick the safest one.
adj. most certain, confident, or reliable among alternatives; least open to doubt. Superlative of 'sure'.
Examples
“This is the surest way to get to the station.”
“For a job interview, the surest approach is to arrive early and bring extra copies of your CV.”
“Among all the routes the team considered, the coastal road remained the surest bet, offering stable weather and reliable fuel stops even in winter.”
Examples
simple
“This is the surest way to get to the station.”
contextual
“For a job interview, the surest approach is to arrive early and bring extra copies of your CV.”
complex
“Among all the routes the team considered, the coastal road remained the surest bet, offering stable weather and reliable fuel stops even in winter.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “surest” in context.
Verb
01. prove surest
“The simplest plan often proves surest in a busy week.”
verb + adj
02. rely on surest
“Smart travellers rely on the surest choice, not the fastest one.”
verb + prep + adj
03. seem surest
“This train seems surest when the weather is bad.”
verb + adj
04. settle on surest
“After comparing hotels, we settled on the surest choice for families.”
verb + prep + adj
Adjective
05. surest bet
“Booking your tickets early is the surest bet for a cheap flight.”
adj + noun
06. surest route
“Regular practice is the surest route to better football skills.”
adj + noun
07. surest sign
“A clear sky in the morning is the surest sign of a fine day.”
adj + noun
08. surest way
“Studying a little every day is the surest way to learn English.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. surest of all
“Of all the answers, this one is the surest of all.”
adj + prep + pron
10. surest option
“The bus is the surest option when it snows.”
adj + noun
11. one of the surest signs
“A smile is one of the surest signs of a friendly place.”
12. the surest bet for travel
“Travelling by train is the surest bet for travel in winter.”
Usage
Superlative of 'sure'; typically preceded by 'the' and followed by a noun or 'to'-infinitive.
Pitfall
more surest
surest
Surest is already superlative and does not take 'more'.
Real-World Examples
“In practical terms, the surest way to eat better is cooking most of your food at home or, failing that, talking some other nice person into doing it for you.” “In a competitive market, the surest way for a frontier model to win loyalty is to tell people what they want to hear.” “Perhaps the surest way of ensuring success is to gauge the opinions of others – and preferably the people who might be interested in your product or service.” “For decades, unionized manufacturing jobs have been considered the surest path to middle-class prosperity and realizing the vaunted American dream for blue-collar workers.” Synonyms
Antonyms
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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/surest