definitely or positively (`sure' is sometimes used informally for `surely'); "the results are surely encouraging"; "she certainly is a hard worker"; "it's going to be a good day for sure"; "they are coming, for certain"; "they thought he had been killed sure enough"; "he'll win sure as shooting"; "they sure smell good"; "sure he'll come"
Used in a Sentence
surely
How to use surely in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for surely.
Editorial note
"Yes, I am," said Diffie, in what surely qualified as the biggest understatement of the trial.
Examples4
Definitions1
Parts of speech1
Quick take
definitely or positively (`sure' is sometimes used informally for `surely'); "the results are surely encouraging"; "she certainly is a hard worker"; "it's going to be a good day for sure"; "they are coming, for certain"; "they thought he had been killed sure enough"; "he'll win sure as shooting"; "they sure smell good"; "sure he'll come"
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of surely gathered in one view.
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for surely.
adverb
definitely or positively (`sure' is sometimes used informally for `surely'); "the results are surely encouraging"; "she certainly is a hard worker"; "it's going to be a good day for sure"; "they are coming, for certain"; "they thought he had been killed sure enough"; "he'll win sure as shooting"; "they sure smell good"; "sure he'll come"
Example sentences
"Yes, I am," said Diffie, in what surely qualified as the biggest understatement of the trial.
Then surely people, having bought it once and discovered how awesome it is, will come back again and again to pay full price.
Judging by the gossip I heard while at AOL, he surely isn't the only person using AOL's offices and food without contributing to AOL, but he's the only one who isn't actually employed by AOL.
The normalization of prison rape—like eighteenth-century japery about watching men struggle as they die on the gallows—will surely strike our descendants as chillingly sadistic, incomprehensible on the part of people who thought themselves civilized.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use surely in a sentence?
"Yes, I am," said Diffie, in what surely qualified as the biggest understatement of the trial.
What does surely mean?
definitely or positively (`sure' is sometimes used informally for `surely'); "the results are surely encouraging"; "she certainly is a hard worker"; "it's going to be a good day for sure"; "they are coming, for certain"; "they thought he had been killed sure enough"; "he'll win sure as shooting"; "they sure smell good"; "sure he'll come"
What part of speech is surely?
surely is commonly used as adverb.