ENGLISH
REFERENCE

insecure

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɪnsəkjɝ// UK //ˌɪnsɪkjˈɔː// in·se·cure

adj. not feeling confident about yourself or your relationships with other people. It can also describe something that is not safe or strong, like a lock or a building.

adj. lacking self-confidence or assurance; characterized by a lack of emotional security. Also describes physical objects or systems that are not firmly fixed or protected from danger.


SIMPLE

He feels insecure about his new job.

CONTEXTUAL

Many teenagers feel insecure about their appearance because of the perfect images they see on social media.

COMPLEX

The diplomat warned that the region's insecure borders made it difficult to prevent the illegal movement of goods and people across the mountain passes.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From in- + secure, or from Medieval Latin insēcūrus, itself from in- (“in-, un-, non-”) + sēcūrus (“safe, certain”). Piecewise doublet of unsecure and unsure.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'about' when referring to personal feelings.

Pitfall

She is insecure of her EnglishShe is insecure about her EnglishWhen describing a lack of confidence in a specific area, 'about' is the standard preposition, not 'of'.

© 2026 English Reference