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 insureThis is because some homes in disaster-prone areas are simply too risky to insure.—Jay Feinman, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2025 Overall losses from Milton totaled about $38 billion, as not all losses were insured.
Munich RE, which released the information Thursday, said Hurricane Helene caused the largest amount of overall losses in 2024, at $56 billion, with $16 billion in insured losses.—News Service Of Florida, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2025 The total value of properties insured by the FAIR Plan totaled more than $458 billion as of September, up from $153 billion in 2020, according to the insurer's website.—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025 Gibson seemed uncertain to what extent his place was insured while considering what to do next.—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for insure
Getting Rain This Weekend Assemble an emergency kit in advance to ensure your family's safety during a flood.
—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
At least two agencies assisting US immigration officials with the raids have told personnel to ensure their clothing clearly depicts their respective agency in case they are filmed by members of the media.
Russell’s case represents one of the last gasps of the Biden administration’s hard-charging approach to tackling violent far-right extremism that is all but guaranteed to change during US president Donald Trump’s second term in office.
—
Ali Winston,
WIRED,
29 Jan. 2025
If Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, and Cubans are sent there, they are almost guaranteed not to find jobs.
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