insecure

adjective

in·​se·​cure ˌin-si-ˈkyu̇r How to pronounce insecure (audio)
1
a
: deficient in assurance : beset by fear and anxiety
always felt insecure in a group of strangers
b
: not highly stable or well-adjusted
an insecure marriage
2
: not confident or sure : uncertain
feeling somewhat insecure of his reception
3
: not adequately guarded or sustained : unsafe
an insecure investment
4
: not firmly fastened or fixed : shaky
the hinge is loose and insecure
5
: unable to reliably afford or access what is needed to meet one's basic needs
families that are housing insecure [=that are at risk of losing their housing]
see also food insecure
insecurely adverb
insecureness noun

Examples of insecure in a Sentence

I feel shy and insecure around strangers. One of the building's rear doors was insecure. The country's borders remain insecure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The residents of the Southern Tier of New York will get no revenue from their natural gas bounty, and the residents of the New York City metropolitan region will continue to have an insecure supply of power. Daniel Markind, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024 Part of the fixation on cultural algorithms is a product of the insecure position in which cultural gatekeepers find themselves. T.m. Brown, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2024 Angela is both recklessly horny and profoundly insecure, a combination that is powerfully recognizable to anyone who’s ever been 15. Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024 The insecure bafflement over Photorealism was reflected in a sudden ‘70s glut of competing terms — Superrealism, Hyperrealism, Sharp-focus Realism, Post-Pop Illusionism, New Realism, Radical Realism. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for insecure 

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin insecurus, from Latin in- + securus secure

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of insecure was in 1646

Dictionary Entries Near insecure

Cite this Entry

“Insecure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insecure. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

insecure

adjective
in·​se·​cure ˌin(t)-si-ˈkyu̇(ə)r How to pronounce insecure (audio)
1
: not confident or sure : uncertain
felt insecure about their response
2
: not well protected : not safe
insecure property
3
: not firmly fastened : loose
an insecure hinge
4
: lacking self-assurance
insecure people
insecurely adverb
insecurity noun

Medical Definition

insecure

adjective
in·​se·​cure ˌin(t)-si-ˈkyu̇(ə)r How to pronounce insecure (audio)
: characterized by or causing emotional insecurity
an insecure childhood

Legal Definition

insecure

adjective
in·​se·​cure
: having a good faith belief that the prospect of receiving payment or performance from a party with whom one has contracted is impaired
insecurity noun

More from Merriam-Webster on insecure

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!