Definitely meaning in English

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Definition

definitely: absolutely, without a doubt, certainly, for sure adverb
In some languages, "definitively" (conclusively, decisively) is a false friend
I will definitely have this report finished by 5 p.m. There's no doubt about it, I will finish it by 5 p.m. for sure.

UK: It's definitely going to snow tonight.
US: Strawberries are definitely my favorite fruit.

Examples

  • "Philip : Yeah, I would definitely have sex with her."
  • "Bruno : Don't worry sir, I'm sure we can work this out... Let's see... I think you should definitely wear the purple shirt with green stripes – it matches your ears."
  • "The dog definitely voted for me."
  • "Bob : Well, sir, in this case, you'll definitely need an IT consultant."
  • "Yeah I think it's definitely a restaurant."
  • "I was definitely eaten by a bear."
  • "Nevertheless, I feel that this job would be a perfect fit for my skills and abilities, and that I would definitely be a value-added addition to your company."
  • "Philip : Yeah, it's definitely a spaceship."
  • "ChinaCorp will definitely be able to take care of the production requirements you mentioned, I can tell you this even before we meet."
  • "Horatio : Let me be clear: I am definitely willing to part with Miracle Juices."
  • "Hannah : A cello then, it's definitely some kind of string instrument."
  • "ChinaCorp will definitely be able to take care of the production requirements you mentioned."
  • "I have a red marker if you would like to write "Happy Birthday" on them. Finally, the hats and noise-makers are definitely not allowed."
  • "It's definitely worth bringing this up at the next board meeting."
  • "Edward : Definitely!"
  • "Bob : Well sir, in this case, you'll definitely need an IT consultant."
Exercise 1
Last week, I was thinking about going on a date with Philip. I thought that he wasn't such a bad guy after all. For example, I thought to myself, it couldn't be true that he sometimes dates two women at once. Then, I saw him kissing his colleague's wife! I am absolutely sure of it... I'm not going out with him!
Last week, I was thinking about possibly 1 going on a date with Philip. I thought that maybe 2 he wasn't such a bad guy after all. For example, I thought to myself, it couldn't possibly 3 be true that he sometimes dates two women at once. Then, I saw him kissing his colleague's wife! I am absolutely sure of it... I'm definitely 4 not going out with him!
1 possibly: 'Possibly' correctly expresses the chance that the speaker will agree to go on a date with Philip.
1 possible: We always use an adverb to precede a verb in constructions like these. 'Possible' is an adjective, and cannot be used here.
2 maybe: 'Maybe' is the best choice here because it fits into the sentence's construction and correctly expresses the possibility that Philip isn't as much of a rogue as he is said to be.
2 might: 'Might' is almost always preceded by the subject of the sentence, for example 'I might be wrong' (interrogative constructions are an exception to this general tendency). We could not say 'I thought that might he'.
2 may be: 'May be' should be contracted to one single word in this case: 'maybe'. As two separate words, the phrase takes on a different meaning.
3 possibly: 'Possibly' correctly expresses the chance that Philip's actually has dated two women simultaneously.
3 maybe: We would not say 'couldn't maybe' because it is grammatically incorrect.
4 definitely: 'Definitely' is the best choice here because it expresses the certainty that speaker will not date Philip.
4 possibly: Although 'possibly' is grammatically correct, we can see from the context and the emphatic nature of the phrase, that we need a word which expresses certainty, and not possibility.
4 maybe: Although 'maybe' is grammatically correct, we can see from the context and the emphatic nature of the phrase, that we need a word which expresses certainty, and not possibility.
Exercise 2
"ChinaCorp will definitely be able to take care of the production requirements".

What is the meaning of the term "definitely" in this context?
"ChinaCorp will definitely be able to take care of the production requirements".

What is the meaning of the term "definitely" in this context?
"Definitely" can sometimes be a false friend. It means "certainly" or "without a doubt".
"Forever" is not a synonym of "definitely".
"Eventually" is not a synonym of "definitely".
Although Mrs. Lee might be happy to help the Delavigne corporation, "happily" is not a synonym of "definitely".

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