insecurity

American  

[in-si-kyoor-i-tee] / ˌɪn sɪˈkjʊər ɪ ti /

noun

• insecurities
  plural

1. lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt.

   He is plagued by insecurity.

2. the quality or state of being insecure; instability.

   the insecurity of her financial position.

   Synonyms:

   vulnerability, shakiness, precariousness

3. something insecure.

   the many insecurities of life.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• insecurities
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

insecurity insecurities

Teaming them up as a testy odd couple allows “Lanterns” to both highlight Hal’s insecurity and use the Green Lantern universe’s rules to interrogate systemic imbalances.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

It’s perhaps because Reynolds is so familiar with overcoming feelings of insecurity that she understood Alice so well.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Their insecurity about AI’s impact on their livelihoods is growing.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

In the end, all that feels certain is the characters’ insecurity, their conviction that, whatever part they perform, there is someone else who can do it better.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

We don’t have time for one of your big insecurity scenes here, Steven.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

But Judith’s insecurities add complexity to a protagonist who commands our attention through every twist of this novel’s labyrinthine plot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Don't Look Down is an album-length interrogation of his motives, insecurities and role as a father, set to a sparkling fusion of hip-hop, gospel and R&B.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

That’s a hard lesson to learn, but most people are dealing with their own private aspirations and insecurities.

From MarketWatch ● May 26, 2026

Cooper launched the Unwell Network, a Gen-Z-focused media company spotlighting “unique voices that embrace social challenges and personal insecurities through honest conversation.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026

Right from the outset, the previous season’s rivalries and hard feelings and insecurities erupted again.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Related Words

• self-doubt
• uncertainty