surefire

adjective

sure·​fire ˈshu̇r-ˈfī(-ə)r How to pronounce surefire (audio)
ˈshər-
: certain to get successful or expected results
a surefire recipe

Examples of surefire in a Sentence

The movie is a surefire hit with teenagers. There is no surefire way to predict the outcome.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These attempts weren’t surefire ways to receive water, however. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 June 2025 In the past, there were surefire ways of telling that a video was AI-generated—perhaps a person might have six fingers, or their face might transform between the beginning of the video and the end. Andrew R. Chow, Time, 3 June 2025 Team: Hiring without first understanding exactly who and what is needed, and more importantly, how the business owner’s role will evolve once the new hires are on board, is a surefire way to keep the owner stuck in the day-to-day. 4. Hanneke Antonelli, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 While there’s no surefire way to guarantee your suitcase is the first one on the carousel, there are a few smart strategies that can seriously improve your odds, says Dollar Flight Club founder Jesse Neugarten. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for surefire

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surefire was in 1846

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surefire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surefire. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

surefire

adjective
sure·​fire ˌshu̇r-ˌfī(ə)r How to pronounce surefire (audio)
: certain to get results
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!