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
Céline brought a certain fluidity and poetry to the process.
—
Ben Croll, Variety, 18 May 2024
Squint your eyes and look at it a certain way, and this summer’s movie lineup could easily pass for a robust offering from, say, 30 years ago.
—Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain 
Ben Croll, Variety, 18 May 2024
Squint your eyes and look at it a certain way, and this summer’s movie lineup could easily pass for a robust offering from, say, 30 years ago.
—Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for a certain
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a certain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“A certain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20certain. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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