unsure
Americanadjective
-
not certain or confident.
He arrived at the party unsure of his welcome.
-
unknown or liable to change; not determined or definite.
The monthly trend for this stock is still unsure, but the daily trend is upward.
What happened next is unsure.
adjective
-
lacking assurance or self-confidence
-
(usually postpositive) without sure knowledge; uncertain
unsure of her agreement
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precarious; insecure
-
not certain or reliable
Etymology
Origin of unsure
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English unseur(e) “unsafe; precarious; uncertain”; un- 1 ( def. ) + sure ( def. )
Explanation
If you're unsure, you don't feel confident. It's natural to feel unsure of yourself the very first time you read your poems in front of an audience. When you feel unsure, you find yourself full of doubt. If you remember how unsure you felt on your first day of school, you may want to befriend that new kid who looks unsure about where to sit in class. You can be unsure of yourself, or unsure how to comfort your friend whose cat just died. When this word was originally used in the 15th century, it primarily meant "not safe from attack."
Vocabulary lists containing unsure
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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.
Edgemont Mayor Rheta Reagan said she was unsure whether being on the road to the complex was a boon for her city.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
What would you say to someone who was unsure how to seize a second chance?
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
Chinese officials were unsure what to make of Pete Hegseth’s presence — whether it was meant to convey a softer stance, a hardening one, or simply an ignorance of basic diplomatic protocol.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Looking a bit unsure of herself, the Princess of Wales kneaded the dough, applied a filling and cut out the pasta shapes as Ivan Lampredi, a chef, assisted her.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
For a minute I stand there on the sidewalk, unsure of what to do.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
