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Definition of securenext
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as in to ensure
to make sure, certain, or safe a retirement account that will help to secure our future

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to fasten
to put securely in place or in a desired position candidates for admission are asked to secure a recent photo to their application forms

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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secure

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adjective

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word secure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of secure are assure, ensure, and insure. While all these words mean "to make a thing or person sure," secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

sent reinforcements to secure their position

When can assure be used instead of secure?

The words assure and secure can be used in similar contexts, but assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.

I assure you that no harm will be done

How does the word ensure relate to other synonyms for secure?

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 it sensible to use insure instead of secure?

While the synonyms insure and secure are close in meaning, insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.

careful planning should insure the success of the party

How is the word secure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of secure are assure, ensure, and insure. While all these words mean "to make a thing or person sure," secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

sent reinforcements to secure their position

When can assure be used instead of secure?

The words assure and secure can be used in similar contexts, but assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.

I assure you that no harm will be done

How does the word ensure relate to other synonyms for secure?

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 it sensible to use insure instead of secure?

While the synonyms insure and secure are close in meaning, insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.

careful planning should insure the success of the party

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 secure
Verb
As the Chinese like to emphasize in private, their only vital interest in the Middle East is the free and secure flow of energy and other vital goods like fertilizers, a trade to be secured by regional peace. Anatol Lieven, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2026 Fidesz, founded as an anti-communist youth movement, still positions itself as the guardian of Hungary’s independence, secured in the peaceful revolutions that swept Central and Eastern Europe in 1989. Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Jenny Farrell, executive director of the League of Women Voters of California, also praised California’s election system, calling it secure, accessible and run by professionals who take their roles seriously. Linh Tat, Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026 Shapiro argued the administration’s actions have made the United States less secure, pointing to uncertainty around Iran’s nuclear program and disruptions to global energy routes. Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for secure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secure
Verb
  • Choose fairness to protect your peace.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • In 2023, state Medicaid agencies began making sure enrollees who were protected from being dropped from the program during the covid pandemic still qualified for coverage.
    Sam Whitehead, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Communities with more complex governance arrangements may need legal review to ensure their governing documents are in compliance.
    Evonne Andris, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Oman is closely aligned with its Gulf neighbors, whom analysts view as determined to ensure the strait’s return to prewar status.
    Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • When fastened, the zippers are locked in place, and pickpockets would have to fidget for a moment to get the gadget undone, giving you time to react.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
  • On the shipwreck the hatches are fastened properly.
    Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • However, Eovaldi found his groove, and the Rangers went on to win their second straight over the Mariners, 3-2, at Globe Life Field.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Given Southampton had only dropped points from a winning position twice in the previous 21 league games — Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic both rescuing a 1-1 draw apiece — a comeback seemed unlikely.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin is confident the Huntington Beach crew can win.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The three names Citi is most confident in are HSBC , NatWest , and SocGen .
    Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Jose Fernandez, an above-average runner, was safe at home, and Moreno went to third.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Spray dry toilet paper with cleansing, soothing and refreshing Pristine to create an instant wet wipe that is actually flushable and safe for your sewer and septic systems.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The Giants became the first National League team to seven losses, and although 10 games is not a representative sample, there’s never a good time in a season for a team’s most reliable veterans to play sloppily or make decisions on tilt.
    Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026
  • These are not tools that belong in a corporate leader’s operational playbook, but products of necessity arising from the absence of reliable governance.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Some people defended Altman’s business acumen and dismissed his rivals, especially Sutskever and Amodei, as failed aspirants to his throne.
    Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
  • But the program was able to ascend to another level when 6-foot-7 transfer Lauren Betts arrived from Stanford as a genuine superstar who changed the way the Bruins were able to play and the way other teams had to defend them.
    Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Secure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secure. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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