Definition of insurenext
as in to ensure
to make sure, certain, or safe took steps to insure the timely completion of the project

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word insure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of insure are assure, ensure, and secure. While all these words mean "to make a thing or person sure," insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.

careful planning should insure the success of the party

When can assure be used instead of insure?

In some situations, the words assure and insure are roughly equivalent. However, assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.

I assure you that no harm will be done

How is ensure related to other words for insure?

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 secure a more appropriate choice than insure?

The words secure and insure can be used in similar contexts, but secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

sent reinforcements to secure their position

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 insure Bloomberg reported this week that Oracle’s decision to invoke force majeure on a New Mexico data center sent the cost of insuring its debt against default to a record. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026 Patti Kanegae, a former resident of Largo, said her bill to insure her older home there doubled over four years, from $2,000 to $4,000, despite improvements to protect it against damaging hurricane winds. — Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026 Hitting the brakes and handing control to the federal government just insures that China and other adversaries will leave us in the dust. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 21 Sep. 2026 Major carriers from large swaths of the state are now refusing to insure even low-risk properties with minimal danger of burning. — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insure
Verb
  • Natural light streams into the galleries, ensuring an atmosphere that's always serene and never stuffy.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Lee then paused all executions after acknowledging the state had failed to ensure its lethal injection drugs were properly tested.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • As O’Neill told Dublin publication Hot Press, he had been assured through email from the ticketing service that the festival’s remaining funds would arrive within two days.
    — Ed Christman, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
  • BougeRV assures me this isn’t something that would be exhibited by its production wagons.
    — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Van Sickle said 11 member tribes rely on treaty rights to harvest resources such as maple sap, cedar boughs and other forest products, essential for guaranteeing traditional ways of life on indigenous lands.
    — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Today, that fear is contributing to calls for heavy-handed government intervention that is guaranteed to stifle the most revolutionary technology in decades, if not history.
    — William R. Gruver, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Insure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insure. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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