insecurity

noun

in·​se·​cu·​ri·​ty ˌin-si-ˈkyu̇r-ə-tē 

plural insecurities

: the quality or state of being insecure: such as

a

: a state or feeling of anxiety, fear, or self-doubt

troubled by (feelings of) insecurity

Deep down he knows his swagger is just insecurity masquerading as confidence.

—Entertainment Weekly

… the questions we don't dare ask reflect our deepest insecurities about relationships.

—J. D. Heiman

They rarely have a confidante with whom they can compare notes, share crushes, and discuss insecurities.

—Kristen Golden

b

: lack of dependability or certainty

job insecurity

financial insecurity

the insecurity of their future

often, specifically : lack of a reliable means of meeting one's basic needs

families who are experiencing housing insecurity

see also food insecurity

c

: lack of safety or protection

the insecurity of the investment

revealed the insecurities [=vulnerabilities] in their system

Synonyms

• instability

Examples of insecurity in a Sentence

the insecurity of the bookcase made it dangerous for a household with small children who like to climb

Recent Examples on the Web

Johnson hopes developments like the lofts will add stability to the neighborhood so that children growing up in Milwaukee do not need to relocate because of housing insecurity. —Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 4 Oct. 2025

Money was flowing in, as the US and its allies attempted to rebuild civil society destroyed by the Taliban’s brutal rule from 1996 to 2001, even as fighting and insecurity still plagued swathes of the nation. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025

The insecurities that come with that. —Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 3 Oct. 2025

Patrick Suzuki, an Asian American man with insecurities about his ethnicity, proposes to Kacie McIntosh, a white woman, who says yes — only to get cold feet within hours of seeing him. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing insecurity

• food insecurity

Rhymes for insecurity

• immaturity
• prematurity
• biosecurity
• cybersecurity
• impurity
• maturity
• obscurity
• security
• purity
• surety

Medical Definition

insecurity

noun

in·​se·​cu·​ri·​ty -ˈkyu̇r-ət-ē 

plural insecurities

: a feeling of apprehensiveness and uncertainty : lack of assurance or stability