as in to assure
to make sure, certain, or safe regulations that ensure the wholesomeness of our food

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How is the word ensure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of ensure are assure, insure, and secure. While all these words 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

Where would assure be a reasonable alternative to ensure?

The meanings of assure and ensure largely overlap; however, assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.

I assure you that no harm will be done

When could insure be used to replace ensure?

Although the words insure and ensure have much in common, insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.

careful planning should insure the success of the party

When is secure a more appropriate choice than ensure?

The words secure and ensure can be used in similar contexts, but secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

sent reinforcements to secure their position

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ensure Many services, like Incogni, handle the entire opt-out process automatically and keep monitoring to ensure your data stays removed. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025 The Transportation Department said that to get this funding reinstated, California must adopt regulations to enforce the English rules and ensure that state inspectors are testing truck drivers’ English skills during roadside inspections and pulling anyone that fails out of service. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025 The company plans to co-produce drones at a mass scale while ensuring interoperability through a common software layer. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 Teague is also looking toward the future, though her focus is on ensuring the university keeps its promise to honor the park’s legacy. Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ensure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensure
Verb
  • The palace officials assured them the president was there, hashing out a plan with his military and Russian and Iranian advisers to confront the advancing rebel forces.
    Danny Makki, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • If the idea of dining near the deceased feels macabre, rest assured this place feels very much alive.
    Diana Hubbell, Saveur, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Barcelona striker turned La Liga pundit Gary Lineker reckons that one thing is guaranteed when his former club visit Real Madrid in Sunday’s Clasico at the Bernabeu.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • New Jerseyans’ electricity rates rose roughly 20% at the start of June as a result of price-setting capacity auctions—the market where power producers are paid to guarantee future supply.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ensure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensure. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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