insecure

[ in-si-kyoor ]

adjective

1. subject to fears, doubts, etc.; not self-confident or assured:

   an insecure person.

2. not confident or certain; uneasy; anxious:

   He was insecure about the examination.

3. not secure; exposed or liable to risk, loss, or danger:

   an insecure stock portfolio.

   Synonyms: risky

4. not firmly or reliably placed or fastened:

   an insecure ladder.

insecure

/ ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊə /

adjective

1. anxious or afraid; not confident or certain
2. not adequately protected

   an insecure fortress

3. unstable or shaky

Derived Forms

• ˌinseˈcurely, adverb
• ˌinseˈcurity, noun
• ˌinseˈcureness, noun

Other Words From

• inse·curely adverb
• inse·cureness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of insecure¹

From the Medieval Latin word insēcūrus, dating back to 1640–50. See in- ³, secure

Synonym Study

See uncertain.

Example Sentences

The spread of Covid-19 among housing-insecure and homeless populations didn’t stay there — it affected entire communities through increased transmission rates and strained hospital resources.

From Vox

The proceeds will support grants for nonprofits in the community, programming at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy and meals for food-insecure residents.

From Washington Post

Raising awareness about Meals on Wheels and lonely and food insecure seniors is, because “the whole world loves it when you’re in the news.”

From Washington Post

You can’t just look at a person and know whether or not they’re food insecure.

From Washington Post

Broad Street Ministry, a church in the heart of the city known for its social service work, serves as the mailing address for about 3,000 people who are homeless or housing insecure.

From ProPublica

“The bigger issue is that vendors are not held accountable for writing insecure code,” says researcher Rios.

From The Daily Beast

With its eastern borders under siege from Russia, Ukrainians feel cornered and insecure.

From The Daily Beast

I was horribly insecure, horribly shy, always feeling ugly and weak.

From The Daily Beast

If they do, the jobs are low-level, part-time, temporary, insecure, and require supplementing with freelancing.

From The Daily Beast

“We live in a society where there are girls who are in love with theirself and flaunt it but the majority are insecure,” says one.

From The Daily Beast

So the ladder, a rather rotten and insecure one, was obtained, and after some difficulty placed against the wall.

From Project Gutenberg

Such conjectures would always be insecure, and often erroneous.

From Project Gutenberg

He swung up, breaking off the more insecure boughs, and was of the belief that we could get across in that way.

From Project Gutenberg

This fault must be corrected immediately, as it renders his gait not only uncomfortable to the rider, but very insecure.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no such inefficiency in the government as makes the lives of Turkish subjects always insecure and travel dangerous.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• afraid
• anxious
• apprehensive
• hesitant
• shaky
• touchy
• troubled
• unsure
• uptight

More About Insecure

What does insecure mean?

Insecure means subject to fears and doubt, as in Sally was such an insecure person that she didn’t believe she did anything well, even when she got A’s on her tests.

Insecure can also mean anxious or uneasy, as in Tom was insecure about his chances for a promotion, worrying about it so much that he couldn’t sleep at night.

Insecure can mean not secure, that is, exposed to danger or risk. A safe with a broken lock would be an insecure safe. Anyone could open the safe and take what was inside.

Lastly, insecure can refer to something that is not firmly placed or fastened, as with a fire escape that is not completely fastened to a building.

Example: The bankrobbers easily broke into the insecure vault and escaped with all of the money.

Where does insecure come from?

The first records of the word insecure come from around 1640. It comes from the Medieval Latin word insēcūrus, which combines the negative prefix in- and the word secure, meaning “safe.”

When we’re talking about objects, we use insecure to mean the object lacks security (like your bank account) or is unstable (as in a ladder). Insecure, like the word uncertain, is used to describe something as risky or unpredictable. The word insecure often implies that the thing is likely to fail or come to harm.

When we use the word insecure to describe people, we often mean people who lack self-confidence or who need validation. Interestingly, some mental health experts argue that social media has made many more people feel insecure because of the amount of criticism they receive online or because they are constantly comparing themselves to others.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to insecure?

• insecurely (adverb)
• insecureness (noun)
• insecurity (noun)

What are some synonyms for insecure?

• anxious
• apprehensive
• unsure
• unstable
• wobbly

What are some words that share a root or word element with insecure? 

• secure

What are some words that often get used in discussing insecure?

• anxiety
• doubt
• security
• data
• person

How is insecure used in real life?

Insecure is a common word. Social media often makes people feel extremely insecure.

i can’t believe girls stay with boyfriends who make them feel insecure, he’s supposed to be your #1 fan or he’s weird

— Michelle Caroline (@michcarolinelo) October 30, 2020

An insecure person always looks for a fight. When there’s no one left to fight, they fight themselves.

— Jay Jordan (@misterjayjordan) October 26, 2020

Ahhh yes, another night of me feeling insecure and feeling like I am not good enough

— marty mcfly williams (@talisaxrose) October 28, 2020

Try using insecure!

Which of the following words would NOT be a synonym of insecure?

A. apprehensive
B. unsure
C. confident
D. anxious