certain of winning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "certain of winning" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing confidence or assurance about the outcome of a competition or contest. Example: "After months of training, the athlete felt certain of winning the championship."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

But the opposition cannot yet be certain of winning a vote on the presidency.

The Economist

"Because the charter provision regarding the mayor's discretion was poorly drafted, we were not certain of winning on appeal".

The New York Times

Neighbouring Baghlan saw the worst bloodshed of any province.President Hamid Karzai seems certain of winning his second term, despite charges of massive vote-rigging.

The Economist

With United virtually certain of winning the league, the Chelsea-City semifinal offers each club a final chance to salvage something from a disappointing season.

The New York Times

He cannot be certain of winning a majority in his assembly, though he can probably deploy his popular appeal to scrape one together.

The Economist

"I met the last really well, but you're never certain of winning up that run-in, even when you reach The Elbow".

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

It was great to see Dai Greene win world gold in the 400m hurdles but it remains a tough event and he is not certain even of winning a medal in London.

BBC

A pan-European YouGov poll conducted on the eve of last year's Eurovision revealed that Brits are most likely to claim that political voting scuppers certain countries' chances of winning.

Independent

Some players have since joked that there was more pressure on them than in their exams; others have said the opposite, claiming that history and a sense of purpose made them certain of Howard winning the title.

The Guardian - Sport

Four teams from Canada earn the right to represent Team North America by virtue of winning certain events, namely the Canada Cup of Curling and the Canadian National Championships (the Brier and the Tournament of Hearts).

Wikipedia

Similar biases make us behave strangely where risk is involved, too: if forced to choose between being given £500 for certain, or a 50% chance of winning £1,000, most of us will opt for the sure thing.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "certain of winning" when you want to express a strong belief or confidence in a positive outcome, especially in competitive situations or elections. It conveys a sense of assurance without guaranteeing the result.

Common error

Avoid using "certain of winning" when there is significant doubt or risk involved. Overstating certainty can undermine your credibility if the outcome is different.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "certain of winning" functions as a postpositive adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, expressing a high degree of confidence in achieving victory. Ludwig provides numerous examples where this phrase is used to describe a person's or entity's assured expectation of success in a contest or election.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "certain of winning" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a strong belief in an upcoming victory. As noted by Ludwig AI, it functions as an adjective phrase and is most frequently used in news and media contexts to describe someone's confidence, particularly in elections or competitive events. While "certain of winning" conveys a high degree of assurance, it's important to avoid overstating the certainty when significant doubt exists. Alternatives like "assured of victory" or "confident of success" can provide similar meanings with slightly different nuances. The phrase maintains a neutral register and is suitable for various writing styles. Remember to use it to project confidence but avoid misrepresenting facts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assured of victory

Replaces "certain" with "assured" and "winning" with "victory", focusing on the state of being sure about winning.

confident of success

Substitutes "certain" with "confident" and "winning" with "success", highlighting belief in a positive outcome.

sure to prevail

Replaces "certain of winning" with a more concise and emphatic expression, using "prevail" to denote ultimate success.

guaranteed to win

Emphasizes the certainty of winning with "guaranteed", suggesting a high level of assurance.

likely to succeed

Shifts from certainty to probability, indicating a high chance of success.

poised for triumph

Uses a more figurative and descriptive phrase, suggesting readiness and expectation of victory.

on track for a win

Indicates progress and direction towards winning, implying a favorable position.

virtually unbeatable

Suggests that the subject is nearly impossible to defeat, implying a high likelihood of winning.

expected to be victorious

Uses a more formal tone to express the expectation of winning.

with a high probability of winning

Expresses the idea of winning in terms of probability rather than certainty.

FAQs

How can I use "certain of winning" in a sentence?

You can use "certain of winning" to describe someone's strong belief that they will win. For example, "After the last debate, the candidate seemed "certain of winning" the election".

What are some alternatives to "certain of winning"?

Some alternatives include "assured of victory", "confident of success", or "likely to succeed", depending on the context.

Is it more appropriate to say "certain to win" or "certain of winning"?

Both "certain to win" and "certain of winning" are grammatically correct. "Certain of winning" emphasizes the feeling of certainty, while "certain to win" focuses on the outcome itself.

What's the difference between "confident of winning" and "certain of winning"?

"Confident of winning" implies a strong belief based on available evidence, while "certain of winning" suggests an even stronger, almost unwavering conviction. They are often used interchangeably, but "certain" suggests a higher degree of assurance.