insecure
adjective
in·se·cure
ˌin-si-ˈkyu̇r 
1
a
: deficient in assurance : beset by fear and anxiety
always felt insecure in a group of strangers
b
: not highly stable or well-adjusted
an insecure marriage
2
: not confident or sure : uncertain
feeling somewhat insecure of his reception
3
: not adequately guarded or sustained : unsafe
an insecure investment
4
: not firmly fastened or fixed : shaky
the hinge is loose and insecure
5
: unable to reliably afford or access what is needed to meet one's basic needs
families that are housing insecure [=that are at risk of losing their housing]
see also food insecure
insecurely
adverb
insecureness
noun
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Examples of insecure in a Sentence
I feel shy and insecure around strangers.
One of the building's rear doors was insecure.
The country's borders remain insecure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Employees—especially longtime executives—may feel blindsided, underappreciated or insecure when an unproven family member suddenly appears in the org chart.
—
Anatoly Iofe, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Remy and Alicia are a pair of insecure service workers who share an obsession with Jen, a former coworker of Remy's who's now something of an Instagram star.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 3 July 2025
This feature blocks insecure 2G connections, websites lacking HTTPS, and exploits over USB.
—ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025
Avoid public Wi-Fi when shopping Public Wi-Fi networks can be insecure.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for insecure
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Anatoly Iofe, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Remy and Alicia are a pair of insecure service workers who share an obsession with Jen, a former coworker of Remy's who's now something of an Instagram star.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 3 July 2025
This feature blocks insecure 2G connections, websites lacking HTTPS, and exploits over USB.
—ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025
Avoid public Wi-Fi when shopping Public Wi-Fi networks can be insecure.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for insecure
Cite this Entry
“Insecure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insecure. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
insecure
adjective
in·se·cure
ˌin(t)-si-ˈkyu̇(ə)r
1
: not confident or sure : uncertain
felt insecure about their response
2
: not well protected : not safe
insecure property
3
: not firmly fastened : loose
an insecure hinge
4
: lacking self-assurance
insecure people
insecurely
adverb
Medical Definition
insecure
adjective
in·se·cure
ˌin(t)-si-ˈkyu̇(ə)r
: characterized by or causing emotional insecurity
an insecure childhood
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