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
Monet and her cinematographer, Xavi Portillo, used a RED Epic camera and Super Baltar lenses to create a look with a certain amount of dreaminess.
—
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024
There was a certain amount of art that went into strategizing what information people had to be able to embody their characters, and know what their characters know without opening up any of the more sensitive material to people who didn’t need to know it.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
For those looking for help with a certain element of the supply chain, engaging with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider could be sufficient for increasing efficiency.
—Anar Mammadov, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Each state has a certain number of electors based on its congressional representation (senators plus representatives).
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024
There was a certain amount of art that went into strategizing what information people had to be able to embody their characters, and know what their characters know without opening up any of the more sensitive material to people who didn’t need to know it.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
For those looking for help with a certain element of the supply chain, engaging with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider could be sufficient for increasing efficiency.
—Anar Mammadov, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Each state has a certain number of electors based on its congressional representation (senators plus representatives).
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain
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Cite this Entry
“A certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20certain. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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