secure

[ si-kyoor ]

/ sɪˈkyʊər /

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See synonyms for: secure / secured / securing / securable on Thesaurus.com

adjective, se·cur·er, se·cur·est.

free from or not exposed to danger or harm; safe.

dependable; firm; not liable to fail, yield, become displaced, etc., as a support or a fastening: The building was secure, even in an earthquake.

affording safety, as a place: He needed a secure hideout.

in safe custody or keeping: Here in the vault the necklace was secure.

free from care; without anxiety: emotionally secure.

firmly established, as a relationship or reputation: He earned a secure place among the baseball immortals.

sure; certain; assured: secure of victory; secure in religious belief.

safe from penetration or interception by unauthorized persons: secure radio communications between army units.

Archaic. overconfident.

verb (used with object), se·cured, se·cur·ing.

to get hold or possession of; procure; obtain: to secure materials; to secure a high government position.

to free from danger or harm; make safe: Sandbags secured the town during the flood.

to effect; make certain of; ensure: The novel secured his reputation.

to make firm or fast, as by attaching: to secure a rope.

Finance.

to assure payment of (a debt) by pledging property.
to assure (a creditor) of payment by the pledge or mortgaging of property.

to lock or fasten against intruders: to secure the doors.

to protect from attack by taking cover, by building fortifications, etc.: The regiment secured its position.

to capture (a person or animal): No one is safe until the murderer is secured.

to tie up (a person), especially by binding the person's arms or hands; pinion.

to guarantee the privacy or secrecy of: to secure diplomatic phone conversations.

verb (used without object), se·cured, se·cur·ing.

to be or become safe; have or obtain security.

Nautical.

to cover openings and make movable objects fast: The crew was ordered to secure for sea.
to be excused from duty: to secure from general quarters.

OTHER WORDS FOR secure

1 protected.

2 stable, fast, fixed.

7 confident.

10 gain.

11 protect, guard, safeguard.

12 assure, guarantee.

See synonyms for secure on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR secure

1 unsafe.

See antonyms for secure on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of secure

1525–35; from Latin sēcūrus “carefree,” equivalent to sē- se- + cūr(a) “care” (see cure) + -us adjective suffix; cf. sure

synonym study for secure

1. See safe. 10. See get.

OTHER WORDS FROM secure

se·cur·a·ble, adjectivese·cure·ly, adverbse·cure·ness, nounse·cur·er, noun

o·ver·se·cure, adjective, verb (used with object), o·ver·se·cured, o·ver·se·cur·ing.o·ver·se·cure·ly, adverbpre·se·cure, verb (used with object), pre·se·cured, pre·se·cur·ing.qua·si-se·cure, adjectivequa·si-se·cure·ly, adverbre·se·cure, verb, re·se·cured, re·se·cur·ing.su·per·se·cure, adjectivesu·per·se·cure·ly, adverbsu·per·se·cure·ness, nounun·se·cure, adjectiveun·se·cure·ly, adverbun·se·cure·ness, nounwell-se·cured, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use secure in a sentence

We deliver to each client a dedicated platform so that they are in a 100% secure network environment.
Leveraging collective intelligence and AI to benefit society|Jason Sparapani|November 18, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Just take some twist ties or pipe cleaners and secure them between the fabric layers on the top edge of the mask.
The best ways to stop a mask from fogging up your glasses, ranked|Sandra Gutierrez G.|November 18, 2020|Popular-Science
The E-Transit aims to further secure Ford’s dominance in the cargo van market.
Ford unveils the 2022 E-Transit, its $45,000 electric workhorse|Kirsten Korosec|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch
The deadline for securing the early-bird price expires in just 72 hours.
Only 72 hours left until early-bird savings end for TC Sessions: Space 2020|Alexandra Ames|November 11, 2020|TechCrunch

In 2018, he secured a position as Pluckers’ social media strategist.
Meet the professional memers|Luke Winkie|November 11, 2020|Vox
And all the household cleaning chemicals and medications need to be inaccessibly and securely stored.
Kids Eat the Darndest Things: Laundry Pods, Teething Necklaces, and More Of The Weirdest Stuff Sending Kids to the E.R.|Russell Saunders|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“He was groping for some way to phrase the emotions that usually were kept securely locked up,” said Eleanor.
The Stacks: The Day Lou Gehrig Delivered Baseball’s Gettysburg Address|Ray Robinson|July 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The lucky artists who succeeded now have a foot securely planted on one of the lower rungs of the art world.
These Young Artists Want You to Feel Something|Chloë Ashby|November 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
CEO Blake Hall tells me in an email that his system could have securely dealt with IRS data.
Obamacare’s Rollout Is a Disaster That Didn’t Have to Happen|Gregory Ferenstein|October 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
However, there are plenty of existing federal systems that securely transmit personal information with private companies.
Obamacare’s Rollout Is a Disaster That Didn’t Have to Happen|Gregory Ferenstein|October 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Aristide replaced the baby, and with a complicated arrangement of string fastened it securely to the seat.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
With a writhing motion she settled herself more securely in the hammock.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
After he was securely bound he was forced to stand while the two, with foul epithets, hung the body of the corporal over the road.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Now, all Jess could see were two thick chunks of wood nailed securely to the closed door opposite the open one.
The Box-Car Children|Gertrude Chandler Warner
They went round it, tried the door into the yard, and the windows, but found them all fastened securely.
The Empty House And Other Ghost Stories|Algernon Blackwood

British Dictionary definitions for secure

secure

/ (sɪˈkjʊə) /

adjective

free from danger, damage, etc

free from fear, care, etc

in safe custody

not likely to fail, become loose, etc

able to be relied on; certaina secure investment

nautical stowed away or made inoperative

archaic careless or overconfident

verb

(tr) to obtain or get possession ofI will secure some good seats

(when intr, often foll by against) to make or become free from danger, fear, etc

(tr) to make fast or firm; fasten

(when intr, often foll by against) to make or become certain; guaranteethis plan will secure your happiness

(tr) to assure (a creditor) of payment, as by giving security

(tr) to make (a military position) safe from attack

nautical to make (a vessel or its contents) safe or ready by battening down hatches, stowing gear, etc

(tr) nautical to stow or make inoperativeto secure the radio

Derived forms of secure

securable, adjectivesecurely, adverbsecurement, nounsecureness, noun

securer, noun

Word Origin for secure

C16: from Latin sēcūrus free from care, from sē- without + cūra care

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

secure

OTHER WORDS FOR secure

OPPOSITES FOR secure

Origin of secure

synonym study for secure

OTHER WORDS FROM secure

Words related to secure

How to use secure in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for secure

Derived forms of secure

Word Origin for secure