insecurity
Americannoun
-
lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt.
He is plagued by insecurity.
-
the quality or state of being insecure; instability.
the insecurity of her financial position.
- Synonyms:
- vulnerability, shakiness, precariousness
-
something insecure.
the many insecurities of life.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of insecurity
First recorded in 1640–50; from Medieval Latin insēcūritās; see origin at insecure, -ity
Explanation
Insecurity is a feeling of uncertainty, a lack of confidence or anxiety about yourself. Put aside your insecurities and start acting like the smart, capable person you are! Insecurity is the word for what you are probably feeling when you walk into the cafeteria on your first day at a new school and everyone else already has someone to sit with. But soon you will make friends and forget about your insecurities. It can also describe the state of being open to danger or threat. The economy may have you worried about job insecurity. Or maybe it's the insecurity of a rocky relationship that keeps you up at night.
Vocabulary lists containing insecurity
Workshop 2, Part 2
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Content Summary 1.1: Human Adaptation and Migration in the Paleolithic World
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The Red Umbrella
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Food insufficiency is considered more severe than food insecurity, defined as having access to food but worrying about it running out or not being nutritious enough.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
The epicentre of the current outbreak is the DRC's northeastern Ituri province, a region that is difficult to access region due to poor roads and is plagued by insecurity because of armed groups.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
And corporate layoffs feed a sense of job insecurity.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
“The city still has issues with food insecurity and low-wage worker protections, but those are not the issues dominating anymore.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026
As I twisted the steering wheel and forced the accelerator to the floor I was controlling Mexico, and might and aloneness and inexperienced youth and Bailey Johnson, Sr., and death and insecurity, and even gravity.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
