insure

verb

in-ˈshu̇r How to pronounce insure (audio)
Definition of insurenext
as in to ensure
to make sure, certain, or safe took steps to insure the timely completion of the project

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word insure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of insure are assure, ensure, and secure. While all these words mean "to make a thing or person sure," insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.

careful planning should insure the success of the party

When can assure be used instead of insure?

In some situations, the words assure and insure are roughly equivalent. However, assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.

I assure you that no harm will be done

How is ensure related to other words for insure?

Ensure, insure, and assure are interchangeable in many contexts where they indicate the making certain or inevitable of an outcome, but ensure may imply a virtual guarantee.

the government has ensured the safety of the refugees

When is secure a more appropriate choice than insure?

The words secure and insure can be used in similar contexts, but secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

sent reinforcements to secure their position

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insure And his being a Dalit has actually insured significant participation from the Dalit community. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026 Hospital off-campus clinic sites grew from about 7,000 in 2013 to more than 34,000 in 2023, often in neighborhoods that are wealthier and better-insured than that of the parent hospital. — Casey B. Mulligan, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026 Because Nodus operated as an international bank, its deposits were not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 Membership had dwindled below 100 people, while the sanctuary cost about $400,000 a year to insure and maintain. — John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insure
  1. ensure
  2. assure
  3. guarantee
Verb
  • Harnessing that opportunity requires both the resources to teach CPR effectively and the policies to ensure every student has the chance to learn it.
    — Meng Yang, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Checks cover everything from ensuring fridges are available for keeping vaccines cool to determining how many children should be vaccinated.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of ensure
Verb
  • But while fans wait to see what happens, Davies, despite no longer being involved in the show, assured that a new series was definitely happening and there wouldn’t be too long to wait.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • So, Correa repeatedly assured voters that abandoning the dollar would be catastrophic and was not on his agenda.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of assure
Verb
  • Of course, the Nasdaq-100 or a similar tech-heavy index, isn’t guaranteed to deliver 21% returns each year for a decade going forward.
    — Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Keep in mind that monitoring services cannot guarantee prevention of identity theft or detect every form of medical fraud.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of guarantee

Browse Nearby Words

insurances
insure
insured
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Cite this Entry

“Insure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insure. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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