Can you tell me the difference between "certainly", "definitely" and "absolutely"? Are they always interchangeable? Or do they have a difference in nuance?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
When meant as an expression of affirmation or positive agreement, the three are interchangeable and there is no significant difference between them. You can use "certainly" or "definitely" to replace "absolutely" here without changing the meaning of the sentence. Ex: A: Can you come in to work a little earlier tomorrow? B: Absolutely. Ex: A: This product will definitely become a bestseller. B: I certainly think so too.