a certain
idiom
1
—used to refer to a quality that is noticed but that is difficult to explain or describe
She has a certain elegance about her.
The house has a certain charm.
2
formal
—used with the name of a person one does not know
In 1889, a certain Mr. Kelly made a large donation to the church.
Examples of a certain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At a certain level of execution, sushi is very much an art of marginal differences: the precise angle to which one chef might hone the blade of his knife, or the particular way another vinegars his rice.
—
Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
Several days ago, a certain model showed a hurricane over or near Florida on Election Day.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
Yeap acknowledges that while pouches do assist children who are still learning to eat, have feeding difficulty, or perhaps have texture aversion or oral-motor skills deficit, there's still a need to transition after a certain age.
—Mia Taylor, Parents, 25 Oct. 2024
For decades, Olga de Amaral has created works in fiber that have a certain presence to them.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 25 Oct. 2024
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Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
Several days ago, a certain model showed a hurricane over or near Florida on Election Day.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
Yeap acknowledges that while pouches do assist children who are still learning to eat, have feeding difficulty, or perhaps have texture aversion or oral-motor skills deficit, there's still a need to transition after a certain age.
—Mia Taylor, Parents, 25 Oct. 2024
For decades, Olga de Amaral has created works in fiber that have a certain presence to them.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain
Dictionary Entries Near a certain
Cite this Entry
“A certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20certain. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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