unsure

[uhn-shoo r, ‐shur]

See more synonyms for unsure on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not certain or confident: He arrived at the party unsure of his welcome.

Origin of unsure

1400–50; Middle English; see un-¹ + sure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for unsure

Contemporary Examples

Unsure whether his assailants were following him, he turned around and fired back with his AK-47.
A Belgian Prince, Gorillas, Guerrillas & the Future of the Congo
Nina Strochlic
November 6, 2014
I had been unsure how I was going to react to his performance.
Philippe Petit’s Moment of Concern Walking the WTC Tightrope
Anthony Haden-Guest
August 8, 2014
Want to start self-tracking but unsure where to store your data, or how to make it look good (and more importantly, make sense)?
The Best Quantified Self Site You Haven’t Heard Of
Jamie Todd Rubin
August 5, 2014
Unsure of what to do, the operator asked a superior what the correct move would be.
The Israeli Way of Death
Miranda Frum
July 2, 2014
I remember trying to cast him in a movie a year before Taken, and they were unsure about him.
Paul Haggis on Scientology, the ‘Crash’ Oscar, and ‘Third Person’
Kevin Fallon
June 19, 2014

Historical Examples

For the first time since Hilton had known him, the Oman's mind was confused and unsure.
Masters of Space
Edward Elmer Smith
I could see that she was keener than ever, and beginning to be a little worried and unsure of herself!
Man and Maid
Elinor Glyn
We are called above the earthly loves that come and go, and are unsure.
An Interpretation of Friends Worship
N. Jean Toomer
When you start to be afraid, you start to be unsure—not of anyone else's weaknesses, but of your own.
Breaking Point
James E. Gunn
"Anna," he said, as if he answered her from a distance, unsure.
The Rainbow
D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence

British Dictionary definitions for unsure

unsure

adjective

lacking assurance or self-confidence
(usually postpositive) without sure knowledge; uncertainunsure of her agreement
precarious; insecure
not certain or reliable

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

Word Origin and History for unsure

adj.

c.1400, "not safe against attack," also "lacking certainty," from un- (1) "not" + sure (adj.).

unsure

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}unsure

Examples from the Web for unsure

Contemporary Examples

Unsure whether his assailants were following him, he turned around and fired back with his AK-47.

I had been unsure how I was going to react to his performance.

Want to start self-tracking but unsure where to store your data, or how to make it look good (and more importantly, make sense)?

Unsure of what to do, the operator asked a superior what the correct move would be.

I remember trying to cast him in a movie a year before Taken, and they were unsure about him.

Historical Examples

For the first time since Hilton had known him, the Oman's mind was confused and unsure.

I could see that she was keener than ever, and beginning to be a little worried and unsure of herself!

We are called above the earthly loves that come and go, and are unsure.

When you start to be afraid, you start to be unsure—not of anyone else's weaknesses, but of your own.

"Anna," he said, as if he answered her from a distance, unsure.

unsure

Word Origin and History for unsure

adj.

Origin of unsure