Definitely or Definately: Which Spelling Is Correct?

Definitely or Definately: Definitely is the correct spelling. Definately is a common misspelling and should not be used in standard English.

The correct spelling is:

Definitely ✅

The incorrect spelling is:

Definately ❌

Definitely is an adverb meaning “without doubt,” “certainly,” or “in a definite way.” Cambridge Dictionary defines it as meaning “without any doubt,” while Merriam-Webster gives the sense of being free from ambiguity or uncertainty.

For example:

• I will definitely attend the meeting.
• She is definitely coming with us.
• This is definitely the right answer.

Definitely or Definately: Which One Is Correct?

The correct word is definitely.

Spelling	Correct?	Meaning
Definitely	✅ Correct	Certainly; without doubt
Definately	❌ Incorrect	Common misspelling of definitely

Correct:

I will definitely call you tomorrow.

Incorrect:

I will definately call you tomorrow.

There is no standard English word definately with a separate meaning. It is simply a misspelling of definitely.

What Does Definitely Mean?

Definitely is an adverb used to express certainty, confidence, or strong agreement.

Cambridge Dictionary defines it as meaning “without any doubt.”

Examples

• I will definitely finish the project today.
• She definitely knows the answer.
• We are definitely going to the concert.
• He definitely needs more time.
• That is definitely a good idea.

You can also use definitely as a strong response:

“Are you coming with us?”

“Definitely!”

In this use, it expresses strong agreement or certainty. Merriam-Webster also records this affirmative use.

Why Is “Definately” Wrong?

The spelling definately is wrong because the word is built from definite + -ly.

Think of it this way:

definite + ly = definitely

The adjective definite already contains the important -ite- sequence:

definite → definitely

When you remember the base word definite, it becomes much easier to spell definitely correctly.

Compare:

❌ definately
✅ definitely

The incorrect spelling replaces the i in -ite- with an a.

The Easy Spelling Rule for Definitely

A simple way to remember the spelling is:

DEF IN ITE LY

Or break it into:

definite + ly

The key is to remember:

“Definitely has definite in it.”

DEFINITE → DEFINITELY

This is more reliable than trying to memorize the whole word letter by letter.

How Do You Spell Definitely?

The correct spelling is:

D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y

Correct:

Definitely

Common incorrect versions:

• ❌ Definately
• ❌ Definitly
• ❌ Definetely
• ❌ Definetly
• ❌ Definitley
• ❌ Definatly

Among these, definately is especially common because the pronunciation can make the middle vowels difficult to hear clearly.

Definitely vs. Definately Examples

Examples with Definitely

1. I will definitely be there.
2. She definitely deserves the opportunity.
3. We should definitely visit that museum.
4. He definitely knows what happened.
5. This is definitely the best option for us.
6. I definitely remember meeting him.
7. They will definitely arrive before noon.
8. You should definitely read this book.
9. That answer is definitely correct.
10. I am definitely interested in the position.

Examples with Definately

Definately should not be used in standard English.

❌ I will definately attend.

Correct:

✅ I will definitely attend.

❌ She is definately coming.

Correct:

✅ She is definitely coming.

Definitely in a Sentence

Definitely can appear in several positions within a sentence.

Before the main verb

She definitely knows the answer.

After the verb “be”

He is definitely ready.

Before another adjective or phrase

This is definitely important.

At the beginning for emphasis

Definitely, we should consider the alternative.

As a short answer

“Would you like some coffee?”
“Definitely!”

Cambridge notes that definitely is frequently used for emphasis, especially in speech.

Definitely Meaning in Simple English

In simple English, definitely means:

• certainly
• without doubt
• surely
• absolutely
• for sure

For example:

I will definitely go.

This means:

I am certain that I will go.

Another example:

She definitely knows him.

This means:

I am certain that she knows him.

Definitely vs. Certainly

Definitely and certainly are often synonyms.

Word	Meaning	Example
Definitely	Without doubt	I will definitely come.
Certainly	Without doubt; surely	I will certainly come.

Both can express certainty.

Cambridge lists certainly as a synonym associated with the “in no doubt” sense of definitely.

Definitely vs. Defiantly

Another spelling confusion involves definitely and defiantly.

These are completely different words.

Definitely

Means certainly or without doubt.

I will definitely attend the meeting.

Defiantly

Means in a way that shows resistance or refusal to obey.

He looked at the teacher defiantly.

So:

Definitely = certainty
Defiantly = resistance or disobedience

Do not confuse definately with defiantly either. Definately is simply a misspelling.

Definitely vs. Definitively

Definitely and definitively are both correctly spelled words, but they have different uses.

.

Definitely

Means certainly or without doubt.

She will definitely come.

Definitively

Means in a final, conclusive, or authoritative way.

The issue was definitively resolved.

A useful distinction is:

• Definitely → certainty
• Definitively → final or conclusive determination

Why Do People Misspell Definitely as Definately?

There are several reasons this spelling mistake is common.

1. The pronunciation can be misleading

In natural speech, definitely may be pronounced quickly, making the unstressed vowel sounds difficult to distinguish.

Cambridge gives the pronunciations /ˈdef.ɪ.nət.li/ in British English and /ˈdef.ə.nət.li/ in American English.

Because the middle sounds are reduced in normal speech, writers may incorrectly insert a.

2. The word is visually complicated

The sequence:

definitely

contains several vowels close together.

That makes it easy to write:

definately

instead.

3. People forget the base word

If you forget that the word comes from definite, it is easier to guess the spelling incorrectly.

Remember:

definite → definitely

A Simple Memory Trick for Definitely

Here are several ways to remember it.

Trick 1: Remember “Definite”

DEFINITE + LY = DEFINITELY

This is the most useful rule.

Trick 2: No “A”

Think:

Definitely has no A.

So avoid:

❌ definately

Use:

✅ definitely

Trick 3: Find “finite”

The word definitely contains:

de + finite + ly

So:

definite → definitely

Remembering finite can help you reconstruct the spelling.

Is Definitely a Formal or Informal Word?

Definitely can be used in both formal and informal English.

Formal example

The company will definitely review the proposal.

Everyday example

I’m definitely coming tonight.

Informal conversation

“Do you want pizza?”

“Definitely!”

The word is therefore not restricted to casual writing.

Definitely: Parts of Speech

Definitely is an adverb.

It modifies a verb, adjective, or an entire statement by expressing certainty or emphasis.

Example:

She definitely understands the instructions.

Here, definitely modifies the verb phrase understands the instructions.

Another example:

That is definitely correct.

Here, definitely adds certainty to the statement.

Synonyms for Definitely

Depending on the context, you can replace definitely with:

• certainly
• surely
• absolutely
• unquestionably
• clearly
• positively
• undoubtedly
• for sure

Examples

I will definitely attend.

.

I will certainly attend.

.

I will surely attend.

.

I will absolutely attend.

The exact choice depends on tone and context.

Explore More: https://wordminto.com/your-vs-youre/

Common Mistakes With Definitely

Mistake 1: Writing “Definately”

❌ I definately agree.

✅ I definitely agree.

Mistake 2: Writing “Definitly”

❌ She will definitly come.

✅ She will definitely come.

Mistake 3: Writing “Definetely”

❌ I definetely remember.

✅ I definitely remember.

Mistake 4: Confusing It With “Defiantly”

❌ I will defiantly attend the meeting.

If you mean “without doubt,” use:

✅ I will definitely attend the meeting.

Definitely in American and British English

There is no American-versus-British spelling difference between definitely and definately.

Both varieties use:

Definitely ✅

The incorrect spelling definately is not an alternative British spelling. It is a misspelling.

The pronunciation can differ somewhat between British and American English, but the standard spelling remains definitely.

Definitely or Definately in Academic Writing

In academic writing, always use:

Definitely

Avoid:

Definately

Because definately is not the standard spelling, it should be corrected in essays, assignments, research papers, reports, and other formal writing.

For example:

❌ The results will definately change the conclusion.

✅ The results will definitely change the conclusion.

However, academic writers should also consider whether expressing absolute certainty is appropriate for their evidence. In research contexts, words such as definitely can make a strong claim, so the level of certainty should match the evidence.

Definitely or Definately: Quick Comparison

Feature	Definitely	Definately
Spelling	✅ Correct	❌ Incorrect
Part of speech	Adverb	—
Meaning	Certainly; without doubt	No standard meaning
Standard English	Yes	No
Formal writing	Yes	No
Common spelling error	No	Yes
Example	I will definitely go.	❌ I will definately go.

How to Remember “Definitely” Forever

Use this formula:

DEFINITE + LY = DEFINITELY

If you’re unsure, remove -ly:

definitely → definite

You recognize the correct word immediately.

Then add -ly:

definite + ly → definitely

So whenever you are tempted to write definately, stop and remember:

There is a definite “i” in definitely.

Practice: Choose the Correct Spelling

Choose definitely or definately.

1. I will ________ call you tomorrow.
2. She ________ knows the answer.
3. We are ________ going on vacation.
4. He ________ needs more time.
5. I ________ agree with your suggestion.
6. That is ________ the correct spelling.
7. They will ________ arrive soon.
8. You should ________ check your work.

Answers

1. Definitely
2. Definitely
3. Definitely
4. Definitely
5. Definitely
6. Definitely
7. Definitely
8. Definitely

People Also Ask

Final Verdict

If you’re asking “Definitely or Definately—which spelling is correct?”, the answer is straightforward:

Definitely is correct. ✅
Definately is incorrect. ❌

Use definitely when you mean certainly, without doubt, or absolutely.

The easiest spelling rule is:

DEFINITE + LY = DEFINITELY

So don’t write definately. Remember the “ite” in definite, and you’ll have the correct spelling of definitely every time.