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Definition of securenext
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as in to ensure
to make sure, certain, or safe a retirement account that will help to secure our future

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to fasten
to put securely in place or in a desired position candidates for admission are asked to secure a recent photo to their application forms

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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secure

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adjective

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word secure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of secure are assure, ensure, and insure. While all these words mean "to make a thing or person sure," secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

sent reinforcements to secure their position

When can assure be used instead of secure?

The words assure and secure can be used in similar contexts, but assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.

I assure you that no harm will be done

How does the word ensure relate to other synonyms for secure?

Ensure, insure, and assure are interchangeable in many contexts where they indicate the making certain or inevitable of an outcome, but ensure may imply a virtual guarantee.

the government has ensured the safety of the refugees

When is it sensible to use insure instead of secure?

While the synonyms insure and secure are close in meaning, insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.

careful planning should insure the success of the party

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of secure
Verb
So there would be at least several minutes before a gun could be secured under the proposal. CBS News, 1 May 2026 Padded straps protect shoulders, and many have belts and snaps to help secure heavier loads. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Adjective
Colorful graduation dresses Elastic smocking hugs the bodice for a secure fit, while flutter sleeves and ruffles keep this dress cool and breezy. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026 But while a subsequent ceasefire has largely halted fighting in Iran, Washington and Tehran remain unable to agree to a more secure peace. Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for secure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secure
Verb
  • Even without federal limits on chemicals like PFAS, states have the authority to protect public health and the environment.
    DYLAN JACKSON, ABC News, 6 May 2026
  • Doing so, officials say, helps protect not only those rolling up their sleeves but those who cannot get vaccinated, such as the very youngest children.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Garcia Martinez was processed for federal immigration law violations and transported to a detention facility with detainers to ensure extradition to New York after final adjudication of the immigration violations, CBP said.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
  • Oversight should be limited to ensuring safety and maintaining academic standards, as well as financial oversight where taxpayer funds are involved.
    Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • At the moment of the attack, the patrol was monitoring a black rhino and tracking the animal through a GPS device fastened to its ankle.
    Ryan Brennan April 27, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
  • At the moment of the attack, the patrol was monitoring a black rhino through a GPS device fastened to the animal’s ankle.
    Ryan Brennan April 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The big man, who won the 2016 NBA Championship as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, previously had his younger sibling under a guardianship, according to TMZ.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Schindler also put down the winning kill in both games for the Knights (16-5, 1-1).
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In…early books, Strout seemed confident that good would eventually prevail, or at least persist.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
  • If the Leafs take Stenberg, and the Sharks want a defenseman and are confident that the Vancouver Canucks will select McKenna, maybe the two Pacific Division teams can arrange a trade.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Water has been a focus of the Newsom administration since his first day in office, when the governor took his cabinet to Monterey Park Tract, a rural Central Valley community that lacked access to safe drinking water.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
  • Our daughters no longer feel safe in their sports or private spaces.
    Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • Name what works, define one agreement, and build from something that feels stable and reliable.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 5 May 2026
  • As markets continue to adjust, gold coins are expected to maintain their position as a reliable store of value.
    Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • By the second quarter, Philadelphia was done defending him.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
  • Giuliani’s time in office was marked by a crackdown on crime, but race relations eroded as Giuliani defended the police against accusations of bias and brutality.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Secure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secure. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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