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
The truth is that many Turks, even secular ones, have a certain affection for their country’s imperial past, when Turks were feared invaders rather than migrants searching for industrial jobs.
—
Reuel Marc Gerecht, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2025
New routes can also lead to lower prices when carriers overestimate the demand for a certain destination.
—Nerdwallet, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025
Tupac’s gun being visible signaled to the icon that the rapper wanted to embrace a certain image that his crew would embrace while influencing him in the wrong direction.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 18 Apr. 2025
After a decade-long run as one of the most layered and tragic characters ever to pilot spaceships in a certain distant galaxy, Diego Luna is finally ready to say goodbye to Cassian Andor.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a certain
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Reuel Marc Gerecht, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2025
New routes can also lead to lower prices when carriers overestimate the demand for a certain destination.
—Nerdwallet, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025
Tupac’s gun being visible signaled to the icon that the rapper wanted to embrace a certain image that his crew would embrace while influencing him in the wrong direction.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 18 Apr. 2025
After a decade-long run as one of the most layered and tragic characters ever to pilot spaceships in a certain distant galaxy, Diego Luna is finally ready to say goodbye to Cassian Andor.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a certain
Cite this Entry
“A certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20certain. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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