reassuring

[ ree-uh-shoor-ing, -shur- ]

adjective

1. restoring or boosting confidence, certainty, or security:

   All children deserve safety, comfort, privacy, and reassuring routines.

   The reassuring news is that the insects don't carry nearly enough of the virus to infect a human.

noun

1. the act or process of restoring or boosting confidence, certainty, or security:

   One drawback is that telemedicine does not allow for the physical comforting and reassuring of a patient.

Other Words From

• re·as·sur·ing·ly adverb
• un·re·as·sur·ing adjective
• un·re·as·sur·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of reassuring¹

First recorded in 1700–10; reassur(e) ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; reassur(e) ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun sense

Example Sentences

State election officials have said that they hope the hand-recount reassures the public about the outcome of the election.

From Washington Post

I’m not entirely sure what that’s made out of, but I can reassure you it’s not trees.

From Popular-Science

In those cases it is reassuring to know that the Navigator’s stability control system is there as a backup, ready to clamp down on the truck’s brakes individually to reign the trailer in if needed.

From Popular-Science

Mechanical Petzl ascenders were important, and a scuffed red helmet was reassuring, but ultimately the beefy limb made everything possible.

From Outside Online

The disaster was a source of anguish and humiliation for the country, but by acknowledging the failure directly, Reagan demonstrated a measure of transparency that was ultimately reassuring.

From Fortune

The cerebral McLaughlin, who also served as acting director of Central Intelligence, was hardly reassuring on the “what now?”

From The Daily Beast

In other words, the Democrats could certainly still win, but the math is considerably less reassuring.

From The Daily Beast

In the case of a falsely reassuring prenatal test, there are two possibilities for a lawsuit against a health practitioner.

From The Daily Beast

This is the problem facing the Halls and anyone else who receives a falsely reassuring result on a prenatal test.

From The Daily Beast

I have to admit this answer was not entirely reassuring, but for now it seems the best we can do.

From The Daily Beast

Each day he was sending serenely confident telegrams to Calcutta and receiving equally reassuring ones from a fatuous Viceroy.

From Project Gutenberg

The bed threw a shadow on them both, but she could see his benevolent face, anxious and yet reassuring, rather clearly.

From Project Gutenberg

Their eyes met, and he smiled a friendly, reassuring smile, such as a father might have bestowed upon a daughter.

From Project Gutenberg

The Man from Time had an impulse to get up, walk over to the two frightened children and comfort them with a reassuring smile.

From Project Gutenberg

"No doubt he went to Paris upon some important business," Fetherston said, reassuring her.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cheerful
• encouraging
• exciting
• favorable
• fortunate
• good
• gracious
• likely
• pleasant
• probable
• reasonable
• rosy