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 insureUnlike other insurance companies that write policies based on basic criteria, surplus lines insurers write custom policies, insuring everything from large condominiums to guitarist Keith Richards’ middle finger.—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026 Many encounter barriers to care after they’re insured.—Jesse Jackson Jr, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026 About half of the 67 million Americans insured through Medicare have this coverage.—Grace MacKleby, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026 Most large contracts are already insured for at least a portion of the salary.—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insure
This low-and-slow process of nuclear fusion in the lowest mass stars ensures that 100% of the raw hydrogen inside of them will eventually burn, fusing to completion.
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Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
Trump has sought to avoid a similar fate with his site, which is a much smaller undertaking, and to ensure the initiative delivers visible political payoff.
The unions pointed to December and January revenues that have exceeded projections and called for a stand-alone meeting once a clearer picture of Proposition 98 funding — the state’s constitutional formula that guarantees minimum funding for K-12 schools — emerges.
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Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Jessica Holmes, education program budget manager at the Department of Finance, said that approach was the only way to guarantee there would be spots for 4-year-olds statewide, even in areas where private child care providers are scarce.