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Sure vs Maybe - What's the difference?

sure | maybe |

As adjectives the difference between sure and maybe

is that sure is physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable while maybe is possible; uncertain.

As adverbs the difference between sure and maybe

is that sure is without doubt while maybe is Modifies a verb, indicating a lack of certainty.

As an interjection sure

is yes, of course.

As a noun maybe is

something that is possibly true.

sure

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Physically secure and certain, non-failing, reliable.
  • Certain in one's knowledge or belief.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on an afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. The three returned wondering and charmed with Mrs. Cooke; they were sure she had had no hand in the furnishing of that atrocious house.}}
  • Certain to act or be a specified way.
  • (obsolete) Free from danger; safe; secure.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Fear not; the forest is not three leagues off; / If we recover that we are sure enough.
  • (obsolete) Betrothed; engaged to marry.
  • * Sir T. More
  • The king was sure to Dame Elizabeth Lucy, and her husband before God.
  • * Brome
  • I presume that you had been sure as fast as faith could bind you, man and wife.

    Synonyms

    * (secure and steadfast) certain, failsafe, reliable * (sense, steadfast in one's knowledge or belief) certain, positive, wis

    Derived terms

    * for sure * surely * sure up (sure)

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Without doubt.
  • Sure he's coming! Why wouldn't he?
    "Did you kill that bear yourself? ?"I sure did!"

    Usage notes

    * Often proscribed in favor of surely. May be informal.

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (rft-sense) Yes, of course.
  • Synonyms

    * certainly, of course, OK, yes

    References

    * 1996, T.F. Hoad, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology , Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192830988

    Statistics

    *

    maybe

    English

    (wikipedia maybe)

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete) * (l) (dialectal)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (as a pro-sentence ) perhaps that is true (expressing no commitment to a decision or a neutral viewpoint to a statement)
  • Usage notes

    * Do not confuse maybe' with ' may be : "Maybe that's true", but "That may be true"

    Synonyms

    * (perhaps) mayhaps, peradventure, perhaps, possibly * (as a pro-sentence) could be, mayhaps, might be, perhaps, possibly, that’s possible

    Derived terms

    * and I don't mean maybe

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Possible; uncertain.
  • Then add those may-be years thou hast to live ? Dryden.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) Something that is possibly true.
  • (informal) An answer that shows neither agreement nor disagreement.
  • The results of the poll were inconclusive. We got two yeses, three nos, and four maybes.
  • (informal) A future event that may or may not happen.
  • About your raise: it's a big maybe .

    Synonyms

    * perhaps

    Derived terms

    * definite maybe