are certainly not

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are certainly not" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize a strong negation or disagreement with a statement or idea. Example: "These claims about the product's effectiveness are certainly not supported by any scientific evidence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Women are certainly not equal.

Independent

They are certainly not strikers.

The Guardian - Sport

These Zekes are certainly not slow-moving.

The New Yorker

These are certainly not liberal states.

The New York Times

Vacation properties are certainly not immune.

The New York Times

These results are certainly not surprising.

Stanford University

And they are certainly not isolated instances.

The Guardian

Home exchanges are certainly not new.

The New York Times

The translations are certainly not perfect.

The New York Times - Magazine

College quarterbacks are certainly not pros.

The New York Times - Sports

They are certainly not my views".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "are certainly not" to express a firm disagreement or negation when you want to emphasize the lack of truth or validity in a statement. It adds a degree of certainty to your rejection.

Common error

While "are certainly not" is effective for emphasis, avoid overusing it, as it can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your language with alternatives like "are definitely not" or "are by no means" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are certainly not" functions as a strong negation, emphasizing the speaker's disagreement or denial. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and frequently used, marking a definitive rejection of a stated or implied condition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Science

21%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are certainly not" serves as a powerful tool for expressing strong negation or disagreement. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and high frequency across diverse contexts, particularly in news, media, and scientific writing. While versatile, it's important to use it judiciously to avoid redundancy. Alternatives like "are definitely not" or "are by no means" can provide variation while maintaining the emphatic tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are definitely not

Emphasizes the negation with a different adverb.

are absolutely not

Reinforces the negation with a stronger adverb.

are by no means

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey negation.

are in no way

Similar to "by no means" but with slightly different phrasing.

are not at all

Emphasizes the complete absence of something.

are far from being

Indicates a significant difference or distance from a stated condition.

are nowhere near

Expresses that something is not close to a certain state or condition.

are quite the opposite of

Highlights a complete contrast to what is expected.

could not be further from

Similar to "are quite the opposite of", expressing strong divergence.

are a far cry from

Indicates a significant difference, often in terms of quality or condition.

FAQs

What does "are certainly not" mean?

The phrase "are certainly not" is used to express a strong negation or disagreement. It emphasizes that something is definitively not the case.

How can I use "are certainly not" in a sentence?

Use "are certainly not" to firmly deny or contradict a statement. For example: "These results "are certainly not surprising"."

What can I say instead of "are certainly not"?

You can use alternatives like "are definitely not", "are absolutely not", or "are by no means" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it ever incorrect to use "are certainly not"?

While grammatically correct, overusing "are certainly not" can make your writing sound repetitive. Be mindful of the context and consider using synonyms to vary your expression.