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.
Gilead said it plans to fund the acquisition, slated to close in the second quarter, with cash on hand and senior unsecured notes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
The BDCs use a mix of debt financing, including bank loans, securitizations and senior unsecured debt.
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
This encryption ensures user data remains secure, even on public or unsecured networks.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
The committee of unsecured creditors is also fighting an attempt by Johnson and GST to pay athletes 85% of their money, but only pay certain vendors 1.5%.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
His pack was full but unsecured, and personal effects were still liberally distributed around the room.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
