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.
Epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz breaks down the science and concludes that the results are actually pretty reassuring.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
The King's private secretary had spoken on the phone to Uganda's military chief, reassuring him that he approved of Uganda's participation in the games.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Even with that limitation, the analysis produced a reassuring sign that the approach was detecting genuine patterns.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
The company’s results and its forecast for the current quarter and the year were reassuring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
When I woke in the middle of the night to find the room full of ghosts, the reassuring sound of her soft breathing sent them away.
From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan
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.
