1 certitude | Definition of certitude

certitude

noun
cer·​ti·​tude | \ ˈsÉ™r-tÉ™-ËŒtüd also -ËŒtyüd How to pronounce certitude (audio) \
plural certitudes

Definition of certitude

1 : the state of being or feeling certain
2 : certainty of act or event
3 : something that is certain : certainty In the United States, death is feared … . Though it is a certitude that we all must deal with someday …— Anne M. Johnson

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Choose the Right Synonym for certitude

certainty, certitude, conviction mean a state of being free from doubt. certainty and certitude are very close; certainty may stress the existence of objective proof claims that cannot be confirmed with scientific certainty , while certitude may emphasize a faith in something not needing or not capable of proof. believes with certitude in an afterlife conviction applies especially to belief strongly held by an individual. holds firm convictions on every issue

Examples of certitude in a Sentence

believes with certitude that he is the best candidate for the job

Recent Examples on the Web

But in the ranks of political punditry, the forecasts for 2020 are already dire and cloaked in certitude. Steve Chapman, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Are Democrats blowing their 2020 chance?," 21 June 2019 Biden, who served two terms as President Obama’s vice president and 36 years as a U.S. senator, has approached the nomination with a measure of certitude. Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY, "Debate 2019: Biden on the defensive as Democratic rivals take aim," 27 June 2019 And in all of that improvisational electricity and heroic certitude, his music characterizes a wider transformation that has taken place in rock-and-roll across our young century. Chris Richards, Washington Post, "After a long, strange trip ... all your indie faves are jam bands now," 6 June 2019 The Hindu texts operate from a platform of skepticism, not a springboard of certitude. Shashi Tharoor, WSJ, "How Hinduism Has Persisted for 4,000 Years," 17 Jan. 2019 Or about the moral certitudes of the religious right. Daniel Henninger, WSJ, "What Democrats Have Become," 19 Sep. 2018 To his flock, that certitude must feel reliable, comforting, centering. Chris Richards, chicagotribune.com, "J. Cole is the most divisive rapper in the world. Which side are you on?," 24 Apr. 2018 Again, to a degree of certitude that should be sufficient, they should be suppressed. Recode Staff, Recode, "Full transcript: Former NSA and CIA director General Michael Hayden on Recode Decode," 19 June 2018 Richard Thaler, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, discusses volatility in stocks and says stocks can’t be based on the certitude that there will be a massive tax cut. Bloomberg.com, "Minuscule Volatility in Stocks Is Puzzling, Thaler Says," 10 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'certitude.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of certitude

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for certitude

Middle English, from Late Latin certitudo, from Latin certus

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More Definitions for certitude

certitude

noun

English Language Learners Definition of certitude

: the state of being or feeling certain : freedom from doubt

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