assure

[ uh-shoor, uh-shur ]

verb (used with object)

, as·sured, as·sur·ing.

1. to declare earnestly to; inform or tell positively; state with confidence to:

   She assured us that everything would turn out all right.

2. to cause to know surely; reassure:

   He assured himself that no one was left on the bus.

3. to pledge or promise; give surety of; guarantee:

   He was assured a job in the spring.

4. to make (a future event) sure; ensure:

   This contract assures the company's profit this month.

5. to secure or confirm; render safe or stable:

   to assure a person's position.

6. to give confidence to; encourage.
7. Chiefly British. to insure, as against loss.

assure

/ əˈʃʊə /

verb

1. to cause to feel sure or certain; convince

   to assure a person of one's love

2. to promise; guarantee

   he assured us that he would come

3. to state positively or with assurance
4. to make (an event) certain; ensure
5. to insure against loss, esp of life
6. property law another word for convey

Derived Forms

• asˈsurer, noun
• asˈsurable, adjective

Other Words From

• as·surer as·suror noun
• inter·as·sure verb (used with object) interassured interassuring
• preas·sure verb (used with object) preassured preassuring
• unas·suring adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of assure¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English as(e)uren, assuren, from Old French aseurer, from Late Latin assēcūrāre, from Latin as- as- + sēcūr(us) ( secure ) + -āre, infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of assure¹

C14: from Old French aseürer to assure, from Medieval Latin assēcūrāre to secure or make sure, from sēcūrus secure

Example Sentences

A nomination is almost assured, but there’s already a backlash brewing against the film, with critics complaining that it’s a “regressive picture masquerading as progressive” and a “wild ride to nowhere.”

From Los Angeles Times

But Bellamy has been calm and assured as Wales boss, leading his team to Nations League promotion after an unbeaten first campaign which ended with Tuesday’s thumping 4-1 win over Iceland.

From BBC

But Newsom assured critics that the partnership targeted drug traffickers and suppliers, not people experiencing substance abuse.

From Los Angeles Times

She has tried to assure them that “as long as we can provide these services, we will.”

From Los Angeles Times

Eventually, philosophers arrived at the superiority theory of humor, according to which every joke is, at its core, a hostile attack designed to affirm the comic’s dominance and assure the subjugation of its target.

From Salon

Related Words

• confirm
• ensure
• guarantee
• insure
• secure

Assure Vs. Ensure Vs. Insure

What's the difference between assure, ensure, and insure?

Assure usually means to tell someone something with confidence or to cause someone to know something with certainty—it often means the same thing as reassure. Ensure most commonly means to guarantee or make certain, as in Working hard ensures success. Insure typically means to guarantee against loss or harm or, more specifically, to cover with insurance.

It’s no wonder there’s confusion between the three words—all three are verbs that are based on the Latin root sēcūrus, meaning safe. Making things even more confusing is the fact that ensure and insure can be used interchangeably in most senses. Still, insure is much more commonly used in the context of insurance, like car insurance, health insurance, and homeowner’s insurance. These kinds of insurance insure you—they give you coverage that provides you with compensation in certain cases and situations.

Ensure is typically used in a more general way in the context of actions that are done to make sure that something happens or is the case, as in We need to ensure that the meeting starts on time.

Assure is always used in the context of communication, especially in situations in which someone is trying to make someone else feel better about something. It’s used in the phrase rest assured.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet to remember the most common uses of each word:

assure = reassure
ensure = make sure
insure = cover with insurance

Here’s an example of assure, ensure, and insure used correctly in a sentence.

Example: She assured me that the company has ensured that every employee has the opportunity to be insured.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between assure, ensure, and insure. 

Quiz yourself on assure, vs. ensure, vs. insure!

Should assure, ensure, or insure be used in the following sentence?

We need to take action to _____ that this never happens again.