unsecured
Americanadjective
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not secured, especially not insured against loss, as by a bond or pledge.
an unsecured loan.
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not made secure, as a door or lock of hair; unfastened.
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not protected against tapping or interception, as a telephone line or radio communication.
adjective
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finance
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(of a loan, etc) secured only against general assets and not against a specific asset
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(of a creditor) having no security against a specific asset and with a claim inferior to those of secure creditors
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not made secure; loose
Etymology
Origin of unsecured
First recorded in 1770–80; un- 1 + secure ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
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 affirms China’s long-term local and foreign-currency issuer and senior unsecured ratings at A1.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
He had travelled to Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, and March in Cambridgeshire, and as he drove through Willingham the crane's unsecured grabber moved and was hanging over the side of his trailer.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
The public debt generally is unsecured but it’s effectively backed by the BDC loan portfolios.
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
The Department of Fish and Wildlife said that the coyote was likely drawn into populated areas by the smell of food waste, unsecured trash cans or pet food left outside.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
They sat on tables, unsecured, like objects in someone’s living room.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
