insecure

adjective

in·se·cure | \ ˌin-si-ˈkyu̇r

Definition of insecure

1 : not confident or sure : uncertain feeling somewhat insecure of his reception

2 : not adequately guarded or sustained : unsafe an insecure investment

3 : not firmly fastened or fixed : shaky the hinge is loose and insecure

4a : not highly stable or well-adjusted an insecure marriage

b : deficient in assurance : beset by fear and anxiety always felt insecure in a group of strangers

Other Words from insecure Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about insecure

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of insecure in a Sentence

I feel shy and insecure around strangers. One of the building's rear doors was insecure. The country's borders remain insecure.

Recent Examples on the Web

Elaine was Ally’s kittenish, gossipy assistant, offering her insecure boss plenty of moral support and coming up with her own inventions in hopes of getting rich. — Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, "Ten actors who shone even before they were stars," 28 June 2018 No one should have an issue with someone who doesn’t do meat or cocktails, but bringing it up can be a good litmus test for closed-minded, insecure jerks. — Beca Grimm, GQ, "15 Things You Should Disclose on a First Date," 14 June 2018 Who knew that Weinstein, so feared for so many years, was such an insecure crybaby? — Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, "Critic's Notebook: The Harvey Weinstein 'Frontline' Doc Is a Sickening Horror Show," 2 Mar. 2018 This stirred up issues of bullying, leaving me feeling insecure and self-conscious. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "7 People Describe What It's Really Like to Have Alopecia," 14 May 2018 Still, people like Mr. Özalp often feel stuck in an endless series of insecure jobs. — Jack Ewing, New York Times, "As Merkel Begins New Term, Compromises Could Undo Economic Boom," 14 Mar. 2018 That comes in the form of laughs (with returning scene-stealer Michael Peña), aw-shucks heart (with Lang's daughter), and utter frustration (with another scene-stealer, Randall Park as a ragingly insecure FBI agent). — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Ant-Man and the Wasp review: Even smaller scale, even bigger heart," 6 July 2018 Both singers felt insecure about their lack of education, neither could read sheet music, and while Jones was petrified of drowning, Franklin feared airplanes. — Jeff Maysh, Smithsonian, "The Counterfeit Queen of Soul," 28 June 2018 Though Zheng's adventures are now portrayed as missions of peace in China, many historians view them as aggressive attempts by a domestically insecure Ming emperor to assert supremacy over his neighbors. — Adam Taylor, Washington Post, "Mattis compared Xi’s China to the Ming Dynasty. Xi might be happy to hear it.," 20 June 2018

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