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sure

  • /ʃɔː/ UK
  • /ʃʊə/ UK
  • /ʃoː/ British, Southern, Standard
  • /ʃɵː/ British, Southern, Standard
  • /ʃəː/ British, Southern, Standard
  • /ʃʉɾ/ Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK
  • [ʃʉːɾ] Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK
  • /ʃʉɹ/ Northern Ireland, UK
  • /ʃuːɐ/ Northumbria, UK
  • /ʃoː/ Australia, New Zealand
  • /ʃʊɹ/ US
  • /ʃɝ/ US
  • /ʃɔɹ/ US
  • /ʃɔɹ/ Canada
  • /ʃɝ/ Canada
  • /ʃuɚ/ New York City
  • /ʃoʊ/
  • /ˈʃuːɹ/ Ireland
  • /sjʊəɹ/ obsolete
  • /sjuːɹ/ obsolete
  • /sɪʊ̯ɹ/ obsolete

Sounds like shore (pour–poor merger), shaw, Shaw (both paw–poor merger), show (show–sure merger) · Rhymes with -ʊə(ɹ), -ɔː(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Middle English sure, seur, sur, from Middle French sur or Old French seür, from Latin sēcūrus (“secure”, literally “carefree”), from sē- (“apart”) + cūra (“care”) (compare Old English orsorg (“carefree”), from or- (“without”) + sorg (“care”)). See cure. Doublet of secure and the now obsolete or dialectal sicker (“certain, safe”).

Displaced native Middle English wis, iwis (“certain, sure”) (from Old English ġewis, ġewiss (“certain, sure”)), as well as Middle English siker (“sure, secure”) (from Old English sicor (“secure, sure”)) with which it was cognate.

adjective surer · surest · sho · sho'

  1. Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable. This investment is a sure thing.

    Similar: certain, failsafe, reliable, sicker

  2. Certain in one's knowledge or belief. The very excess of the extravagance, in fact, by suggesting to the reader continually the mere aeriality of the entire speculation, furnishes the surest means of disenchanting him from the horror which might else gather upon his feelings.

    Similar: certain, positive, wis

  3. followed by a to infinitive Certain to act or be a specified way. Be sure to lock the door when you leave.
  4. Certain to obtain something. Many people book early in order to be sure of the best seats.
  5. obsolete Free from danger; safe; secure. Feare not: the Forreſt is not three leagues off, / If we recouer that, we are ſure enough.
  6. obsolete Betrothed; engaged to marry. c. 1513-1518 (probably date written, published after 1535) Thomas More, History of King Richard III The king was sure to Dame Elizabeth Lucy, and her husband before God.

adverb more sure · most sure · sho · sho'

  1. modal Without doubt, certainly. Sure he's coming! Why wouldn't he?
  2. archaic Without fail, surely. Theſe are the wings ſhall make it flie as ſwift, As dooth the lightening: or the breath of heauen, And kill as ſure as it ſwiftly flies.

interjection sho · sho'

  1. in response to a request for help or a favour Yes; of course. "Could you tell me where the washrooms are?" "Sure, they're in the corner over there."
  2. in response to other questions Yes; I guess; you could say that; a weak or noncommittal positive response. "Do you like cats?" "Sure."
  3. You're welcome; polite response to being thanked. "Thanks for helping me with that electrical fault." "Sure. Any time."

    Similar: of course

Similar: OK, yes

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: certain, certainly, secure, steady, dependable, confident, reliable, positive, trusted, trusty, trustworthy, careful, convinced, true, surely, sure enough

interjection

Similar: OK, yes

Translations

Every language

adj certain, reliable

Españolseguro, cierto
한국어확실하다 hwaksilhada
日本語確か tashika
中文確定 /确定 quèdìng
हिन्दीपक्का pakkā, निश्चित niścit
Portuguêscerto, seguro
Françaissûr, sûre, certain
Deutschsicher, stichhaltig, hieb- und stichfest, wasserdicht
Italianosicuro, sicura, certo, certa
Ελληνικάασφαλής asfalís
Românăsigur, cert
Русскийуве́ренный uvérennyj, надёжный nadjóžnyj, ве́рный vérnyj
العربيةأَكِيد ʔakīd
עבריתבָּטוּחַ batúakh

adj certain in one's knowledge or belief

Españolseguro, tener claro, no dudarlo
한국어확실하다 hwaksilhada
日本語確信した kakushin shita
中文確定 /确定 quèdìng
हिन्दीनिश्चित niścit
Portuguêscerto, seguro
Françaissûr, certain
Deutschsicher
Italianosicuro
Ελληνικάβέβαιος vévaios, σίγουρος sígouros
Românăsigur, cert
Русскийуве́ренный uvérennyj
Tiếng Việtchắc chắn
العربيةمُتَأَكِّد mutaʔakkid
עבריתבָּטוּחַ batúakh

intj noncommittal yes

Françaisd'accord

intj of course

Españolpor supuesto, claro, cómo no
한국어물론 mullon
日本語もちろん mochiron
中文當然 /当然 dāngrán
Portuguêstá, claro, tudo bem
Françaisbien sûr
Deutschsicher
Italianocerto
Ελληνικάβεβαίως vevaíos
Românăsigur
Русскийконе́чно konéčno
العربيةطَبْعًا ṭabʕan, أَكِيد ʔakīd
עבריתבטח

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Cite this
MLA

"sure." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/sure. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

sure. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/sure

Chicago

"sure." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/sure.

BibTeX
@misc{sure_2026,
  title = {sure},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/sure},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}