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

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."

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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 strong score is generally considered reassuring, but doctors stress that it is not a measure of intelligence.

From Salon • May 31, 2026

But Nathan says it was "reassuring" to know "there was nothing that we could have done differently to stop this".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

None of that is reassuring for the future of U.S. leadership in science and biotechnology.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

"Secretary Bessent was reassuring us that this is a temporary measure, but we know that it's already a second extension of the measure which initially was meant to last only 30 days," Dombrovskis said.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Gagarin flashed that reassuring smile everyone had come to love.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

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