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Synonyms

unsure

American  
[uhn-shoor, ‐shur] / ʌnˈʃʊər, ‐ʃɜr /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unsure

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The company lost focus, unsure if it was selling to sneakerheads or soccer moms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

"Sometimes patients are unsure about whether they should get a vaccine or not, particularly in an age of disinformation. These results provide another reason for them to elect to get the vaccine."

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

Now, she's unsure how she, her family, and hundreds of guests will reach the venue, with all the restrictions in place.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Economists are unsure what to make of the reported decline in February employment.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

Seems unsure of himself and has difficulty making decisions.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple