unsure

[uhn-shoor, ‐shur]

adjective

1. not certain or confident.

   He arrived at the party unsure of his welcome.

2. 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.

unsure

/ ʌnˈʃʊə /

adjective

1. lacking assurance or self-confidence

2. (usually postpositive) without sure knowledge; uncertain

   unsure of her agreement

3. precarious; insecure

4. not certain or reliable

Word History and Origins

Origin of unsure¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English unseur(e) “unsafe; precarious; uncertain”; un- ¹ ( def. ) + sure ( def. )

Example Sentences

However, scientists were unsure whether those teeth came from exactly the same sediment layer as the foot.

Read more on Science Daily

Stacey said she was unsure if the local primary school could take any more pupils, and that traffic was also definitely busier through the town.

Read more on BBC

But isn’t there risk on the other side—on the side of obedience when a service member is unsure whether an order is lawful?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Plus: Thinking of retiring abroad but unsure about it?

Read more on MarketWatch

If you’re unsure about where and how they should invest this money, the most logical option would be for you to all learn together.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• distrustful 
• dubious 
• hesitant 
• indecisive 
• mistrustful 
• shaky 
• skeptical 
• suspicious 
• uncertain 
• unclear 
• unconvinced 
• undecided