For certain people, there are definitely schools where they have a very high chance (99%?) of getting accepted. I would call these schools "safety schools." These people might have a 3.9 GPA from Harvard, 40+ MCAT, stellar ECs, co-authorship of a paper in Nature, great interpersonal skills, great character, etc... I know friends who understandably considered UCLA or U Mich their safety schools. (I considered myself damn lucky to get admitted to those schools!)
Yes, nothing is absolutely guaranteed. But there are certain schools where certain people almost have a 100% chance of getting in. The term "safety school" is not so inappropriate then.