certainty

certainty — noun

1. the feeling you have when you are completely sure that something is true or will

1.名詞B2
釋義

the feeling you have when you are completely sure that something is true or will happen, with no doubt left in your mind

例句

Ravi could not say with any certainty when the bus would arrive.

collocation: with any certainty (negative contexts)

Yara spoke with such certainty that the committee dropped all their objections.

collocation: speak with certainty

同義詞
  • confidence

    similar level of sureness, but 'confidence' can be based on trust or faith; 'certainty' implies more objective assurance

  • conviction

    strong personal belief, often moral or emotional; 'certainty' can be more logical

  • assurance

    feeling of confidence often given by another person; 'certainty' is internally held

反義詞
  • doubt

    the direct opposite — lack of certainty

  • uncertainty

    the state of not being sure

文法句型

with certainty

with any certainty

用法筆記

Uncountable; the most common pattern is 'with (any) certainty', especially in negative contexts such as 'cannot say with any certainty'.

常見錯誤

❌I have a certainty that he will come' (using 'certainty' as countable when the meaning is a feeling).
✅I am certain that he will come' or 'I know with certainty that he will come.
💡The feeling of certainty is uncountable; use the adjective 'certain' or the phrase 'with certainty' instead.

2. a fact or truth that is so securely established that it cannot be questioned or

2.名詞B2
釋義

a fact or truth that is so securely established that it cannot be questioned or argued against

例句

Death and taxes are often called the only two certainties in life.

collocation: the only certainty / the only two certainties

The one certainty from the court case was that the old contract had been broken.

同義詞
  • fact

    a broader term; 'certainty' emphasises that the fact cannot be doubted

  • truth

    similar, but 'truth' can be philosophical or moral; 'certainty' is more factual

  • given

    something taken for granted; slightly less formal than 'certainty'

反義詞

文法句型

a certainty that…

one of the few certainties

用法筆記

Countable; this sense refers to a specific fact or proposition that is beyond dispute. Often introduced as 'one of the few certainties' or 'the one certainty that…'.

常見錯誤

❌The certainties of modern medicine are constantly changing' (implies settled facts can change, which contradicts the meaning).
✅The conclusions of modern medicine are constantly changing, but the certainty that germs cause disease is not in doubt.
💡A certainty is something beyond dispute; use 'findings' or 'conclusions' for changeable knowledge.

3. an event or outcome that is so probable you can rely on it happening, although i

3.名詞C2
釋義

an event or outcome that is so probable you can rely on it happening, although it is not absolutely guaranteed

例句

After their perfect season, the team's championship win was treated as a certainty.

collocation: treated as a certainty

Priya's promotion next month is near a certainty after her outstanding results.

collocation: near a certainty

同義詞
  • foregone conclusion

    stronger — implies the outcome is already decided in everyone's mind

  • sure thing

    informal; a bet or outcome that will definitely succeed

  • lock

    very informal, mainly American; a guaranteed result

反義詞
  • long shot

    informal; something very unlikely to happen

  • gamble

    something risky with an uncertain outcome

文法句型

near certainty

almost a certainty

not a certainty

用法筆記

Countable; this sense describes a predicted outcome that is extremely probable, not a proven fact. Common modifiers include 'near', 'almost', 'virtual', and 'practically'. Distinguish from Sense 2: Sense 3 refers to what is expected to happen, while Sense 2 refers to what is known to be true.

常見錯誤

❌The election is a certainty, but anything could still happen' (contradicts the meaning).
✅The election is not a certainty yet, so the team kept campaigning.
💡If you call something 'a certainty' in this sense, you are saying it is extremely likely; adding a contradictory clause confuses the reader.