unsure

adjective

un·​sure ˌən-ˈshu̇r 

-ˈshər,

 especially Southern  -ˈshȯr

: not marked by or given to feelings of confident certainty : not sure

was unsure of what to do

Phrases

unsure of oneself

: lacking confidence in one's abilities

… he's a little unsure of himself when it comes to the music world …

—Seth Mnookin

Synonyms

• distrustful
• doubtful
• dubious
• hinky [slang]
• mistrustful
• skeptical
• suspicious
• trustless
• uncertain
• unconvinced
• undecided
• unsettled

Examples of unsure in a Sentence

unsure of her ability to handle the pressure of competing in the Olympic Games

Recent Examples on the Web

Anyone who was at either of the Grapevine locations March 28-30 and is unvaccinated or unsure of their vaccination status is at risk of contracting measles, Tarrant officials said. —Matt Leclercq, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2025

Republicans were the most divided, with 31% in support, 27% in opposition and 42% unsure. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025

The study authors are unsure why this effect wanes at very low LDL levels, indicating that further research is needed. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Apr. 2025

By noon, Alejandro was unsure whether his teams were actually aligned or just eager to move on. —Tom Roberts, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unsure

• abjure
• adjure
• allure
• assure
• brochure
• cocksure
• coiffure
• contour
• couture
• demure
• detour
• endure