secure

1 of 2

adjective

se·​cure si-ˈkyu̇r How to pronounce secure (audio)
-ˈkyər
securer; securest
1
a
: free from danger
b
: affording safety
a secure hideaway
c
: trustworthy, dependable
a secure foundation
d
: free from risk of loss
2
a
: easy in mind : confident
b
: assured in opinion or expectation : having no doubt
c
archaic : unwisely free from fear or distrust : overconfident
3
: assured sense 1
a secure victory
4
: able to reliably afford or access what is needed to meet one's basic needs
However, students who are housing secure may also differ in their consciousness development as compared to students who have experienced housing insecurity.Mariah Kornbluh et al.
securely adverb
secureness noun

see also food secure

secure

2 of 2

verb

secured; securing

transitive verb

1
a
: to relieve from exposure to danger : act to make safe against adverse contingencies
secure a supply line from enemy raids
b
: to put beyond hazard of losing or of not receiving : guarantee
secure the blessings of libertyU.S. Constitution
c
: to give pledge of payment to (a creditor) or of (an obligation)
secure a note by a pledge of collateral
2
a
: to make fast
secure a door
secure a bike to a tree
b
: to take (a person) into custody : hold fast : pinion
3
a
: to get secure usually lasting possession or control of
secure a job
4
: to release (naval personnel) from work or duty

intransitive verb

1
of naval personnel : to stop work : go off duty
2
of a ship : to tie up : berth
securer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for secure

ensure, insure, assure, secure mean to make a thing or person sure.

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

, while insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand

careful planning should insure the success of the party

, and assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.

I assure you that no harm will be done

secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

sent reinforcements to secure their position

Examples of secure in a Sentence

Adjective We need to make our network more secure against attacks by hackers. The children were safe and secure in their beds. A safe is provided to keep your valuables secure from potential thieves. You should store your valuables in a secure place. How secure is your front door? You are now entering a secure area. I'm feeling secure about my place in the company. The company has established a secure foothold in the market. He believes his job is secure. They didn't begin to celebrate until they knew their victory was secure. Verb We must secure the country's borders. Secure your belongings under the seat. secure a child safety seat The seat is secured to the base by three screws. She scored a goal to secure the team's victory. She secured the zoo's future with a handsome bequest. He secured a loan using his house as collateral.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Due to its license by the Malta Gaming Authority, Royal Panda must follow strict rules and regulations to keep its site safe and secure. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 What is the best way to stay private, secure and anonymous while browsing the web? Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2024 Crafted from sturdy plywood and boasting a sleek, smooth finish, this set offers a secure and welcoming space for both playtime and mealtimes. Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024 Over the last year, the FTC has put a whole bunch of additional rules in place related to pricing transparency, financing, unnecessary add-ons and keeping customer information secure. Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 It’s designed with a Mickey and Minnie ear pattern and has two zippered compartments to keep essentials organized and secure. Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Marjorie Merriweather Post, the cereal heiress who had Mar-a-Lago built for her, imagined that it might be used as a winter White House after her death, but the estate was too expensive and too difficult to keep secure. Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2024 There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Kansas and Schwab has consistently called Kansas elections safe and secure and advocated for the use of ballot drop boxes. Katie Bernard, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 As EdTech continues to evolve, insights from leaders like Manit Kaushal will be invaluable in shaping a secure, accessible, and innovative educational future. David Balaban, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
However, the defense has questioned whether a different locking mechanism may have been used to secure the firearm. Eric Levenson, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 The protests come at a crucial time for India, which has a national election in April-May in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governing party is widely expected to secure a third successive term. Rishi Lekhi and Ashok Sharma, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Vonn secures the title finishing tied for 11th in the giant slalom, the penultimate race of the season. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Since around that time, the DOJ and FTC have successfully broken up deals in the airline, pharmaceutical and hospitality industries — securing guilty pleas in criminal monopolization cases along the way. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Mueller said Mullin, a Peninsula Democrat, was critical in securing the funding for the renovations for the playground at Coyote Point. Ryan MacAsero, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 Donald Trump has crossed the threshold required to become the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2024, securing more than half of the total GOP delegates after Tuesday's primary elections. Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 Now the Salisbury Beach homeowners are facing a persistent problem many who live in coastal areas are dealing with: trying to secure state or local funding to protect their homes. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 As easily the biggest new release of the week, this should all be enough to secure Grande her sixth Billboard 200 No. 1 album in seven tries. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'secure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin securus safe, secure, from se without + cura care — more at suicide

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1545, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of secure was circa 1545

Dictionary Entries Near secure

Cite this Entry

“Secure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secure. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

secure

1 of 2 adjective
se·​cure si-ˈkyu̇(ə)r How to pronounce secure (audio)
securer; securest
1
: easy in mind : confident
secure in the knowledge that help was near
2
a
: providing safety : safe
a secure hideaway
is secure against attack
b
: trustworthy, dependable
secure foundation
3
: sure entry 1 sense 5a, certain
victory is secure
securely adverb

secure

2 of 2 verb
secured; securing
1
a
: to make safe : guard, shield
secure a supply line from enemy raids
b
: to assure payment of
2
a
: to take into custody
secure a prisoner
b
: to fasten tightly
secure a door
3
: to acquire as the result of effort
secure employment
Etymology

Adjective

from Latin securus "safe, secure," literally, "without care," from se "without" and cura "care" — related to cure, sure see Word History at cure

Legal Definition

secure

transitive verb
se·​cure
secured; securing
1
: to put beyond hazard of losing or not receiving
secure the blessings of libertyU.S. Constitution preamble
2
a
: to protect or make certain (as by lien)
make a just and equitable partition and secure the parties' respective interestsDenton v. Lazenby, 879 P.2d 607 (1994)
b
: to give security for (as a loan) or otherwise assure the payment, performance, or execution of with security
the court imposed a lien on his property to secure the judgment
c
: to give or pledge security to (as a creditor)
broadly : to cause to have security or a security interest
a creditor secured by a lien on real property

More from Merriam-Webster on secure

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