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
  • County officials responsible for issuing building permits have been accused of failing to conduct adequate inspections to ensure developers comply with safety guidelines and construction standards.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Justice Department aims to send poll monitors to all 50 states in the 2026 midterms, marking an ambitious expansion of a longstanding federal initiative aimed at ensuring election integrity.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of ensure
Verb
  • And although the menu shifts from week to week, rest assured that whatever choices lie before you, good eats are in store.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • As to authenticating that low odometer reading, Weaver assures that plugging a reader into its transmission revealed the exact mileage.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of assure
Verb
  • The steady trickle of those recordings into the groundwater of influence has guaranteed the album its afterlife, both as a great lost future of American music and as a central pillar in the group’s legacy.
    — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Her departure is not guaranteed and the talks could fall apart, the people said.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 25 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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