“Shore” or “Sure”

shore / sure are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

2 terms compared
Pronunciation guides
Examples in context
Compare on Google Trends

Get Sapling See examples

Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

shore sh·AO·r

nounthe land along the edge of a body of water.
nouna beam or timber that is propped against a structure to provide support.
verbserve as a shore to.

sure sh·UH·r

adjectivephysically secure or dependable.
adjective(of persons) worthy of trust or confidence.
adjectiveinfallible or unfailing.
adjectivecertain not to fail.

Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“shore”

…Departed was written by Howard Shore and performed by guitarists Sharon…
Category:Films scored by Howard Shore
…beginning of 2010 off the shore near Basra in south-eastern Iraq,…
…Great Gatsby (1925): The eastern shore of Manhasset Bay was F.…
…struck the Allied fleet off shore, but this was eventually defeated…
In an effort to shore up their western flank, the…
…trucks and buses onto the shore, or alternately at the stern…
…Them for Me (1957) as Shore Patrol Lieutenant (uncredited)
…the 532nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment lost eight killed and…
…the 532nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment, and then brought up…

“sure”

…before this album, and a sure way with an aching lyric,…
…killings, but said: "To be sure, peace will come through war,…
"You Sure Never Loved Me" (Hot Rod…
…be specifically designed to make sure that it fitted one class…
…and Relief (MoDM&R) for making sure food nutrition and security in…
Know for Sure (1942, Short) - Dr. Paxton
He thought that it was "sure to nestle easily with the…
…it could not establish for sure whether the death squads, the…
…feeling that he was a "sure winner" against the Democrats; most…
…identity is not known for sure, but he is likely to…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

Too much to remember?

Looking for a tool that handles this for you wherever you write?

Install Sapling Try the grammar checker