Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not liable to error in judgment or action; confident and competent: Describes a person or entity that acts with decisiveness and accuracy, showing reliable skill and judgment.
   • Not liable to stumble or fall; physically steady and secure: Describes a person or animal that moves with physical stability and balance, especially on difficult terrain.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Confident and Competent):

  • The CEO's surefooted leadership guided the company through the crisis.
  • The critic praised the novelist's surefooted narrative style.

• Adjective (Physically Steady):

  • The mountain goats are remarkably surefooted on the steep cliffs.
  • We rode on surefooted mules along the narrow trail.

Advanced Usage

• Used figuratively to describe artistic or intellectual skill: Often applied to creative or professional work to denote mastery and control.
  • Her surefooted direction made the complex film easy to follow.
• Used to describe financial or strategic moves: Indicates actions taken with minimal risk and high confidence of success.
  • The investor made a series of surefooted decisions in a volatile market.

Variants and Related Words

• Surefootedly (adverb): In a surefooted manner.
  • The team advanced surefootedly toward their goal.
• Surefootedness (noun): The quality of being surefooted.
  • The surefootedness of the hiker was impressive on the icy path.

Synonyms

• Adjective (Confident and Competent): Assured, deft, adroit, proficient, steady.
• Adjective (Physically Steady): Agile, nimble, steady, stable, secure.

Antonyms

• Adjective (Confident and Competent): Inept, clumsy, faltering, hesitant.
• Adjective (Physically Steady): Clumsy, awkward, unsteady, faltering.

Adjective

1. not liable to error in judgment or action
   • most surefooted of the statesmen who dealt with the depression- Walter Lippman
   • demonstrates a surefooted storytelling talent- Michiko Kakutani
2. not liable to stumble or fall
   • on surefooted donkeys