unsecured

adjective

un·​se·​cured ˌən-si-ˈkyu̇rd 

-ˈkyərd

: not protected or free from danger or risk of loss : not secured

unsecured cargo

unsecured funds

an unsecured loan

Synonyms

• insecure
• lax
• loose
• loosened
• relaxed
• slack
• slackened

Examples of unsecured in a Sentence

an unsecured luggage rack on top of the car that was a hazard to other vehicles on the road

Recent Examples on the Web

Cousins Properties issued $900 million in senior unsecured notes in 2024 to fund acquisitions and repay existing debt. —Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2025

The company’s top unsecured creditor is Amazon holding a claim of nearly $29.4 million. —Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 4 Feb. 2025

Additionally, a wind Advisory has been issued for Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties, where southwest winds of 20 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, could lead to unsecured objects being blown around and a few power outages​. The warning is in effect until 6 p.m. EST. —Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025

Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects, the weather service said, and tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages might result. —Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

unsecured

adjective

un·​se·​cured

ˌən-si-ˈkyu̇rd

: not secured: as

a

: not guaranteed or protected as to payment, performance, or satisfaction by a security interest or by property given or pledged as security

unsecured debt

an unsecured claim

b

: characterized by a lack of security or of a security interest

unsecured status