- present participle of reassure.
reassuring
Americanadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reassuring
First recorded in 1700–10; reassur(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; reassur(e) ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun sense
Explanation
Something reassuring comforts or inspires you. A reassuring smile can help to calm a nervous speaker who's about to give a speech. When you're anxious about singing in the talent show, some reassuring words from your best friend or your dad's reassuring hug can make you feel much more relaxed and confident. And fearful flyers sometimes find the calm voice of the captain reassuring. This adjective comes from the verb reassure, or "restore to confidence," which adds re-, or "again," to assure, which has the Latin root securus, "safe or secure."
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.
I want to be there, waiting for brunch, with the reassuring knowledge that the restaurant is handling the details.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective tales “combined a sense of immediate novelty with a reassuring regularity of form.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
And that’s quite a reassuring process to observe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
History offers a more reassuring outlook once a bull market turns four years old.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 11, 2026
It’s annoying, but also reassuring that she doesn’t think it’s that big a deal, when the loss has felt overwhelming to me.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
