insecure

[in-si-kyoor]

adjective

1. subject to fears, doubts, etc.; not self-confident or assured.

   an insecure person.

2. not confident or certain; uneasy; anxious.

   He was insecure about the examination.

3. not secure; exposed or liable to risk, loss, or danger.

   an insecure stock portfolio.

   Synonyms: risky

4. not firmly or reliably placed or fastened.

   an insecure ladder.

insecure

/ ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊə /

adjective

1. anxious or afraid; not confident or certain

2. not adequately protected

   an insecure fortress

3. unstable or shaky

Other Word Forms

• insecurely adverb
• insecureness noun
• insecurity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of insecure¹

From the Medieval Latin word insēcūrus, dating back to 1640–50. See in- ³, secure

Synonym Study

See uncertain.

Example Sentences

It “isn’t easy to find the right balance in a speech when even people’s grasp of the truth is insecure,” he admits.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“But you’re too insecure to accept any help! Everything I do feels like an insult to you!”

Read more on Literature

The last film suffered due to her strength; she was simply too much woman to play an insecure young student.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Some hailed it as the future of non-invasive face contouring, but others condemned it as dystopian, and said the firm was making women feel more insecure.

Read more on BBC

“That was a big wake-up call — we had 1 in 3 folks in 2020 be food insecure,” de la Haye said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• afraid 
• anxious 
• apprehensive 
• hesitant 
• shaky 
• touchy 
• troubled www.thesaurus.com
• unsure 
• uptight 

When To Use

What does insecure mean?

Insecure means subject to fears and doubt, as in Sally was such an insecure person that she didn’t believe she did anything well, even when she got A’s on her tests.Insecure can also mean anxious or uneasy, as in Tom was insecure about his chances for a promotion, worrying about it so much that he couldn’t sleep at night.Insecure can mean not secure, that is, exposed to danger or risk. A safe with a broken lock would be an insecure safe. Anyone could open the safe and take what was inside.Lastly, insecure can refer to something that is not firmly placed or fastened, as with a fire escape that is not completely fastened to a building.Example: The bankrobbers easily broke into the insecure vault and escaped with all of the money.