secure

adjective

se·cure | \ si-ˈkyu̇r,

-ˈkyər\

securer; securest

Definition of secure

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a archaic : unwisely free from fear or distrust : overconfident

b : easy in mind : confident

c : assured in opinion or expectation : having no doubt

2a : free from danger

b : free from risk of loss

c : affording safety a secure hideaway

d : trustworthy, dependable a secure foundation

3 : assured sense 1 a secure victory

secure

verb

secured; securing

Definition of secure (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : 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 liberty — U.S. Constitution

c : to give pledge of payment to (a creditor) or of (an obligation) secure a note by a pledge of collateral

2a : to take (a person) into custody : hold fast : pinion

b : to make fast secure a door secure a bike to a tree

3a : to get secure usually lasting possession or control of secure a job

b : bring about, effect

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

Other Words from secure Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about secure

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Choose the Right Synonym for secure

Verb

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

The bottom line is that Social Security needs to continue to do the job it was designed to do: provide a base income on which people can build for a secure retirement. — Alicia H. Munnell, WSJ, "Four Simple Changes to Bring Social Security Into the 21st Century," 16 Dec. 2018 Reviews are mixed, though Chalamet shines—of course—and his standing seems secure as the TABILB mania has at least temporarily quieted, especially due to a development in his personal life... — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, "How Did Timothée Chalamet Spend 2018? We’re So Glad You Asked," 10 Dec. 2018 While the acrobatic, overhead kicks and athletic, somersaulting leaps to the height of the net are eye-catching, the sport's place on the Asian Games program is far from secure. — Raj Moham Viswanathan, Fox News, "Thais digging in to keep an Asian game at the Asian Games," 25 Aug. 2018 If Kentucky is content with winning seasons and middle-tier bowl games, Stoops’ future should be secure. — Edgar Thompson, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Kentucky is pushing to move up in tough SEC, No. 69 in 2018 preseason college football rankings," 19 June 2018 Governor’s had come back for several huge wins to remain undefeated in league play, so Nobles’ 6-4 halftime lead was from secure. — Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, "Nobles hands Governor’s its first ISL setback," 17 May 2018 The launch of the Air Force's first GPS 3 satellite is important to the military, because this new generation of satellites will broadcast more secure and more accurate signals than existing GPS spacecraft. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Tuesday may deliver a triple-header of big launches to cap 2018," 17 Dec. 2018 Instead, the money has been used to strengthen or replace existing fencing with more secure fencing. — Jill Colvin, The Seattle Times, "Reading between the lines of Trump’s Oval Office tussle," 11 Dec. 2018 Other biohacking fanatics have magnets or radio-frequency identification implants inserted under their fingertips as a more secure way to get into their cars or access other valuables. — Maridel Reyes, Glamour, "'Biohacking' Your Anxiety Is a Buzzy Practice—but What Does It Actually Mean?," 16 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Most professional remodeling jobs require a building permit, which must be secured before the work starts. — Brett Martin, House Beautiful, "How Long It Takes To Renovate Every Single Room In Your House," 26 Dec. 2018 Other models like Gigi Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Irina Shayk, Stella Maxwell, and Imaan Hammam wore their hair either in natural curls or slicked over to one side and secured with a few classic Versace pins. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Hair at Versace's Show Was So Big and Full of Secrets," 3 Dec. 2018 Sterk said his department has secured about 1,000 new football season ticket holders for the 2018 campaign, but football season ticket totals overall are down from this point a year ago. — Aaron Reiss, kansascity, "Mizzou athletics is in the red again, but AD Jim Sterk is 'hopeful' that changes soon," 9 July 2018 Faraday Future asked the arbitrator to loosen Evergrande’s grip on its IP and other assets, which were offered as collateral in order to secure the $2 billion investment. — Sean O'kane, The Verge, "Federal court freezes Faraday Future CEO’s ownership stake, California mansions," 14 Dec. 2018 There’s strong impetus from both sides for getting a deal done, as Uber seeks to lock up the market before it’s fully formed, and the budding unicorn startups work to secure the funding to match their hyperaccelerated growth. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Recode Daily: Trump and Xi Jinping reach a temporary trade-war truce," 3 Dec. 2018 Start from the ground up—use net lights to hang over bushes, use a hanging pole to tackle trees, and wrap around railings, using the clips to secure the lights. 6. — Sienna Fantozzi, House Beautiful, "How To Hang Christmas Lights Without Going Insane," 10 Sep. 2018 Mainz have since tied the player down to a five-year deal, having parted with the sum of €10m in order to secure the transfer. — SI.com, "Huddersfield Miss Out on French Defensive Target After He Joins Bundesliga Outfit Mainz," 9 July 2018 More than two dozen sat in a circle for their Monday morning meeting, passing a bullhorn clockwise and discussing ways of securing food, water, and first aid, as well as plans for de-escalation, self-defense, and first aid training. — Philly.com, "ICE protestors outside City Hall battle heat, loss of electricity," 9 July 2018

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

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Statistics for secure

Last Updated

19 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for secure

The first known use of secure was circa 1545

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More Definitions for secure

secure

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of secure

(Entry 1 of 2)

: protected from danger or harm

: providing protection from danger or harm

: guarded so that no one can enter or leave without approval

secure

verb

English Language Learners Definition of secure (Entry 2 of 2)

: to make (something) safe by guarding or protecting it

: to put (something) in a place or position so that it will not move

: to make (something) certain

See the full definition for secure in the English Language Learners Dictionary

secure

adjective

se·cure | \ si-ˈkyu̇r

securer; securest

Kids Definition of secure

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : free from danger or risk Being home made me feel secure.

2 : strong or firm enough to ensure safety a secure lock

3 : free from worry or doubt : confident He's secure in his abilities.

4 : sure entry 1 sense 5, certain Victory is secure.

secure

verb

secured; securing

Kids Definition of secure (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to make safe Police secured the building.

2 : to fasten or put something in a place to keep it from coming loose Secure your belongings under the seat.

3 : to get hold of : acquire … “Your father has finally secured passage for us …”— Theodore Taylor, The Cay

secure

transitive verb

se·cure

secured; securing

Legal Definition of secure

1 : to put beyond hazard of losing or not receiving secure the blessings of liberty — U.S. Constitution preamble

2a : to protect or make certain (as by lien) make a just and equitable partition and secure the parties' respective interests — Denton 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