ensure

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verb en·sure \in-ˈshu̇r\

Definition of ensure

ensured

;

ensuring

transitive verb
: to make sure, certain, or safe : guarantee

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See ensure defined for kids

Examples of ensure in a Sentence

A combination of … personal courage, dashing leadership from the front, willingness to share the toughest rigours suffered by the ordinary soldiers, and a liberal dose of sheer good fortune ensured his stature as a great general. —Paul Cartledge, History Today, July 2004
Indeed, even though she's been off the mainstream radar for more than a decade, her passionate love for and commitment to rock & roll have ensured that she's managed to make a steady living. —Tom Sinclair, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Nov. 2000
At 20, [Kobe] Bryant is already living the modern American dream, a $70 million man on the NBA's glamour team in the nation's starriest city. His acrobatic moves make him the envy of teenage boys and his good looks and megawatt smile a heartthrob for teenage girls, ensuring his status as one of the NBA's premier pitchmen … —Allison Samuels et al., Newsweek, 31 May 1999
They took steps to ensure the safety of the passengers.
regulations that ensure the wholesomeness of our food

Recent Examples of ensure from the Web

Ismay did not cite the need to ensure that Nazi Germany never returned.

— victor davis hanson, National Review, "Lord Ismay, NATO, and the Old-New World Order", 5 July 2017
Just be sure to start each with a clean, moisturized face, and then finish with a spritz of setting spray to ensure your look lasts all night. 1.

— brooke shunatona, Cosmopolitan, "11 Halloween Looks You Can Create With Makeup You Already Have", 30 June 2017
The rise of the alt-right and other nefarious political groups has given him a larger platform, ensuring that his devout fan base grows.

— ethan sapienza, The Cut, "Goop and Infowars Have Way More in Common Than You Thought", 30 June 2017
The overlap helps ensure consistency, and there are backups for each vocal part in case someone is sick or something comes up.

— dana oland, idahostatesman, "Local singers get their moment on Shakespeare stage", 30 June 2017
Consumer advocates have been pushing for years for more steps to ensure the accuracy of what's listed in credit reports.

— susan tompor, Detroit Free Press, "Your credit score could jump in July, but it's no cure-all", 29 June 2017
The team also created a methodology for ensuring historically accurate colorization.

— meilan solly, Smithsonian, "Colorized Footage Is a Vivid Reminder that History Didn’t Happen in Black and White", 29 June 2017
Kohanpoolad is one of two mashgiachs, essentially chefs who ensure that the restaurant stays true to the certification granted by the Rabbinical Council of California.

— patric kuh, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Orthodox Community’s Go-To Cool Sandwich Shop", 27 June 2017
Now, Kendall County officers must ensure detainees taken to hospitals remain handcuffed or shackled at all times, unless medical staff specifically order restraints removed or the detainee is giving birth.

— hannah leone, Aurora Beacon-News, "Kendall County updates policy on inmates after Delnor Hospital standoff with Kane County inmate", 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ensure'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ensure

Middle English, from Anglo-French ensurer, alteration of assurer — more at assure

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First Known Use: 1660

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of ensure

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