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

Derived 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.

"It would be so beneficial and reassuring for schools to learn from each other and implement things that are successful across the board," she said.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

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

From Salon • May 31, 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

Last month, SAP reported a strong first quarter that showed the resilience of its cloud business, reassuring investors it can weather potential disruption from AI and geopolitical tensions that could affect client spending.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

There were ottomans and framed photographs and curio cabinets full of souvenirs, their very frivolousness reassuring.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

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