unsecured

[uhn-si-kyoord]

adjective

1. not secured, especially not insured against loss, as by a bond or pledge.

   an unsecured loan.

2. not made secure, as a door or lock of hair; unfastened.

3. not protected against tapping or interception, as a telephone line or radio communication.

unsecured

/ ˌʌnsɪˈkjʊəd /

adjective

1. finance

   1. (of a loan, etc) secured only against general assets and not against a specific asset

   2. (of a creditor) having no security against a specific asset and with a claim inferior to those of secure creditors

2. not made secure; loose

Word History and Origins

Origin of unsecured¹

First recorded in 1770–80; un- ¹ + secure ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

With unsecured debt growing faster than people's incomes, campaigners warn this is fuelling poverty, deepening inequality and exposing the urgent need for government action.

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Overall, nearly half of adults have outstanding unsecured debt, where the money borrowed is not backed up by assets.

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An "unsecured" penguin in a cardboard box was the cause of a helicopter crash in South Africa, a report into the incident has found.

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The leak of classified information by President Donald Trump's national security team on an unsecured chat app may have broken three basic rules, according to analysts.

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The country's central bank has also cracked down on easy unsecured lending that propped up demand post the Covid pandemic.

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Related Words

• baggy 
• lax 
• relaxed 
• sloppy