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
Its deep pockets ensure a secure hold on even thick mattresses, and the 360-degree elastic band offers extra grip, — making light work of taking the cover on and off. Maggie Horton, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2024 Dedicated to providing a secure, honest service, TextBehind leaves administrative oversight to the facilities themselves - allowing individual prisons to make the important decision of whether content is permissible to be accessed by an inmate recipient. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024
Verb
The state of California secured a FEMA grant to support fire suppression efforts in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said overnight. Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN, 11 Sep. 2024 Moore also secured a $500,000 grant for the project. Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for secure 

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 3 Oct. 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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