reassuring

American

[ree-uh-shoor-ing, -shur-] / ˌri əˈʃʊər ɪŋ, -ˈʃɜr- /

adjective

restoring or boosting confidence, certainty, or security.

All children deserve safety, comfort, privacy, and reassuring routines.
The reassuring news is that the insects don't carry nearly enough of the virus to infect a human.

noun

the act or process of restoring or boosting confidence, certainty, or security.

One drawback is that telemedicine does not allow for the physical comforting and reassuring of a patient.

Other Word Forms

reassuringly adverb
unreassuring adjective
unreassuringly adverb

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

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.

A recent comment by Vance is far from reassuring, though he meant it to be.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Stock markets bottom at the beginning and not end of wars is the reassuring message that Fundstrat’s Tom Lee sent to investors in a note coinciding with the first quarter’s final trading session.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Bringing on an industry veteran as CEO could help clear any overhang on the stock, reassuring investors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Not everything works, but in an era of AI slop, and meme songs designed for Tiktok clip-ability, it's reassuring to hear Raye unapologetically going for broke.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

“Not that I don’t think you’ll get in where you want to go. That wasn’t very reassuring, was it?”

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023