How is the word insure distinct from other similar verbs?
Some common synonyms of insure are assure, ensure, and secure. While all these words mean "to make a thing or person sure," insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.
careful planning should insure the success of the party
When can assure be used instead of insure?
In some situations, the words assure and insure are roughly equivalent. However, assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.
I assure you that no harm will be done
How is ensure related to other words for insure?
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
When is secure a more appropriate choice than insure?
The words secure and insure 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
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Recent Examples of insureThe space insurance market began in 1965, when Lloyds Bank insured Intelsat I, which broadcast the Apollo 11 moon landing.—Tom Brown, Space.com, 28 June 2025 Hazel was charged with engaging police in pursuit, interfering with police, reckless driving, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of a narcotic substance with intent to sell, first-degree reckless endangerment, evading responsibility and failure to insure a motor vehicle.—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025 The number represents more than one-fifth of the roughly 15 million Californians insured under the state’s low-income health program.—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2025 Each one had to be checked to insure that facts were complete and accurate and that all applicants qualified as residents.—Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for insure
That’s when the 26-year-old’s $7.7 million salary for the 2025-26 season was supposed to be fully guaranteed.
—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
The contract is not fully guaranteed; however, Wilson — the Nets’ second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft — is a rotation player and considered part of the team’s future as its rebuild continues.
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