Definitely

With certainty and without meaningful doubt.

Reach for it when confirming a conclusion or commitment more strongly than a simple yes

The restored clock definitely keeps better time than before.

• playful

  positively

  when emphatic assurance suits an expressive voice

  not when Positively can sound theatrical or mean favorable sentiment.

• warm

  surely

  when confidence is conversational or expectant

  not when Surely can invite agreement or show hope rather than establish certainty.

• professional

  certainly

  when assured confirmation should remain polished

  not when Certainly can sound like courteous agreement despite limited evidence.

• professional

  clearly

  when the evidence or reasoning is readily apparent

  not when Clearly can patronize a reader who reasonably sees ambiguity.

• formal

  undoubtedly

  when a supported conclusion deserves elevated emphasis

  not when It feels inflated in a routine confirmation.

• formal

  unquestionably

  when no serious challenge to the claim remains

  not when Its absolute force is unsuitable while material uncertainty remains.

• possibly
• perhaps
• doubtfully

• definitely worth

  The accessible edition is definitely worth keeping in the main collection.

• definitely know

  We will definitely know more after the water samples return.

• definitely possible

  A smaller first phase is definitely possible within the current grant.

• Definite adj.

• Wiktionary, English adverb: without question and beyond doubt ↗opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.