unsure

[ uhn-shoor, ‐shur ]

adjective

1. not certain or confident:

   He arrived at the party unsure of his welcome.

2. unknown or liable to change; not determined or definite:

   The monthly trend for this stock is still unsure, but the daily trend is upward.

   What happened next is unsure.

unsure

/ ʌnˈʃʊə /

adjective

1. lacking assurance or self-confidence
2. usually postpositive without sure knowledge; uncertain

   unsure of her agreement

3. precarious; insecure
4. not certain or reliable

Word History and Origins

Origin of unsure¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English unseur(e) “unsafe; precarious; uncertain”; un- ¹( def ) + sure ( def )

Example Sentences

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year can make or break a retailer’s year, and companies are unsure about how freely shoppers will spend in the weeks ahead.

From New York Times

One consequence was that a lot of people remained unsure what she stood for.

From Salon

Even he admitted he was unsure and there was an air of resignation, mixed with occasional bouts of defiance, about Gatland in his interviews after the Australia defeat.

From BBC

Still, stare too deep at the idea of the inverted spectrum and you may end up unsure about everything.

From Salon

I am unsure if that energy is from the building itself or the people who it attracts or the combination of the two.

From Salon

Related Words

• distrustful
• dubious
• hesitant
• indecisive
• mistrustful
• shaky
• skeptical
• suspicious
• uncertain
• unclear
• unconvinced
• undecided