assurance

American  

[uh-shoor-uhns, -shur-] / əˈʃʊər əns, -ˈʃɜr- /

noun

assurances plural

1. a positive declaration intended to give confidence.

   He received assurances of support for the project.

2. promise or pledge; guaranty; surety.

   He gave his assurance that the job would be done.

   Synonyms:

   oath, warranty

3. full confidence; freedom from doubt; certainty.

   to act in the assurance of success.

   Antonyms:

   uncertainty

4. freedom from timidity; self-confidence; belief in one's abilities.

   She acted with speed and assurance.

   Antonyms:

   uncertainty

5. presumptuous boldness; impudence.

   Synonyms:

   cheek, nerve, impertinence, effrontery

   Antonyms:

   uncertainty

6. Chiefly British. insurance.

---

assurance British  

/ əˈʃʊərəns /

noun

1. a statement, assertion, etc, intended to inspire confidence or give encouragement

   she was helped by his assurance that she would cope

2. a promise or pledge of support

   he gave an assurance of help when needed

3. freedom from doubt; certainty

   his assurance about his own superiority infuriated her

4. forwardness; impudence

5. insurance providing for certainties such as death as contrasted with fire or theft

---

Usage

What does assurance mean? An assurance is a positive promise, pledge, or guarantee. It is intended to dispel the listener’s doubts and give them confidence. When we are worried about something, an assurance from a trusted source can ease our anxieties. If you’re nervous about a volcano erupting, a scientist could give you assurance that it’s not meant to blow for 500 more years. The assurance might help you feel more safe and certain. Example: When Marya’s teacher asked why she hadn’t submitted her assignment, Marya gave an assurance that the essay was on its way.

Synonym Usage

See trust. See confidence.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preassurance
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• assurances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of assurance

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English ass(e)ura(u)nce, from Middle French ass(e)urance; equivalent to assure + -ance

Explanation

An assurance is a vote of confidence. If you give your friend an assurance that you'll be there, you'd better show up. If you pledge to do something or make a binding commitment to do it, you can use the noun assurance. If the bank is going to loan you money to buy a house, they are going to need some sort of assurance that you will repay the loan in a timely manner. If you have confidence in yourself and your abilities, you can also use assurance to describe that — "The baseball team played with assurance, quickly racking up a seven point lead."

Example Sentences

Just last month, about 2,000 SoFi Stadium workers threatened to strike if they didn’t receive assurance that immigration agents would be kept out of the venue during the World Cup.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

They don’t yet know the reasons behind this, only that they have a fiery assurance that what they’re doing is right.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026

Getting that kind of assurance from the government is helpful at a time when Americans are wary of AI.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

"We can give a categoric assurance that we will implement all the findings with the necessary rigour, oversight and transparency that is essential to demonstrate continuous improvement," he said.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

Once, Alan had asked her to fall backward with the assurance that he would catch her and that she would see she could trust him.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

• affirmation
• assertion
• guarantee
• pledge
• promise
• security
• support
• word