secure
1 of 2adjective
se·cure si-ˈkyu̇r 
-ˈkyər
securer; securest
1
a
: free from danger
b
: affording safety
a secure hideaway
c
: trustworthy, dependable
a secure foundation
d
: free from risk of loss
2
a
: easy in mind : confident
b
: assured in opinion or expectation : having no doubt
c
archaic : unwisely free from fear or distrust : overconfident
3
: assured sense 1
a secure victory
securely adverb
secureness noun
secure
2 of 2verb
secured; securing
transitive verb
1
a
: to relieve from exposure to danger : act to make safe against adverse contingencies
secure a supply line from enemy raids
b
: to put beyond hazard of losing or of not receiving : guarantee
secure the blessings of liberty 
U.S. Constitution
U.S. Constitution c
: to give pledge of payment to (a creditor) or of (an obligation)
secure a note by a pledge of collateral
2
a
: to make fast
secure a door
secure a bike to a tree
b
: to take (a person) into custody : hold fast : pinion
3
a
: to get secure usually lasting possession or control of
secure a job
b
: bring about, effect
4
: to release (naval personnel) from work or duty
intransitive verb
1
of naval personnel : to stop work : go off duty
2
of a ship : to tie up : berth
securer noun
Synonyms
Adjective
- assured
- confident
- self-asserting
- self-assured
- self-confident
Verb
- bulwark
- cover
- defend
- fence
- fend
- forfend
- guard
- keep
- protect
- safeguard
- screen
- shield
- ward
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective We need to make our network more secure against attacks by hackers. The children were safe and secure in their beds. A safe is provided to keep your valuables secure from potential thieves. You should store your valuables in a secure place. How secure is your front door? You are now entering a secure area. I'm feeling secure about my place in the company. The company has established a secure foothold in the market. He believes his job is secure. They didn't begin to celebrate until they knew their victory was secure. Verb We must secure the country's borders. Secure your belongings under the seat. secure a child safety seat The seat is secured to the base by three screws. She scored a goal to secure the team's victory. She secured the zoo's future with a handsome bequest. He secured a loan using his house as collateral. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Ted Glanzer, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2022 The pair sued in April, repeating unfounded allegations that vote-counting machines are not secure. Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2022 The campus was secure, even as investigators including representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, remained on the scene late into the night. Matt Yan And, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2022 Colon declined to provide additional details at a news conference, citing the investigation, but said the scene was secure. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2022 Todd pushed back against Harris’ claim about the border being secure. Jessica Chasmar, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2022 Add the fact that SMS texts aren’t secure, and the billions of SMS messages sent every day in the U.S. alone causes concern about privacy more than features. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 12 Sep. 2022 In 1998, Zatko appeared before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee as part of a panel of ethical hackers who urgently told Congress that the technology used to access the internet was not secure. Clare Duffy, CNN, 12 Sep. 2022 As part of its mission, the data team will define the requirements of the data platform, including how to scale the platform in a secure and responsible way. Ram Venkatesh, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 16 Sep. 2022 Volunteers have spent the past three weeks helping to secure and move the documents left behind, and local business leaders have offered storage space and moving equipment. Casey Parks, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2022 An 8-year-old child that won't get a chance to be a news reporter, police chief, or anyone else because of a tragic circumstance involving adults who didn't think enough to secure a weapon and leave two kids at home with it. Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 13 Sep. 2022 The installation process is similar to that of any other window air conditioning unit—simply slide open your single-hung window, secure the unit into the window with screws, and plug the cord into the nearest outlet. Ana Escalante, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2022 That is raising the prices that pork processors pay to secure livestock and weighing on their bottom lines. Patrick Thomas, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Sometime in the eighth to ninth centuries, Solomon’s descendant King Hezekiah had a channel cut into the rock under the City of David to secure water supply to the Temple and surrounding inhabitants in case of an enemy invasion. Marion Fischel, Sun Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2022 In the meantime, health experts urge parents to secure their electronics and prevent children from accessing batteries. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2022 China's ruling Communist Party will hold its five-yearly congress beginning on October 16, with Xi Jinping poised to secure an historic third leadership term and cement his place as the country's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. Reuters, CNN, 30 Aug. 2022 See More
Adjective
Ritter, for his part, also confirmed that the state funding was still secure. Ted Glanzer, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2022 The pair sued in April, repeating unfounded allegations that vote-counting machines are not secure. Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2022 The campus was secure, even as investigators including representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, remained on the scene late into the night. Matt Yan And, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2022 Colon declined to provide additional details at a news conference, citing the investigation, but said the scene was secure. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2022 Todd pushed back against Harris’ claim about the border being secure. Jessica Chasmar, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2022 Add the fact that SMS texts aren’t secure, and the billions of SMS messages sent every day in the U.S. alone causes concern about privacy more than features. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 12 Sep. 2022 In 1998, Zatko appeared before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee as part of a panel of ethical hackers who urgently told Congress that the technology used to access the internet was not secure. Clare Duffy, CNN, 12 Sep. 2022 As part of its mission, the data team will define the requirements of the data platform, including how to scale the platform in a secure and responsible way. Ram Venkatesh, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Verb
The two Republican governors have continuously criticized Biden and Democratic lawmakers for failing to secure the southern border and leaving border states to fend for themselves in managing the ongoing immigration crisis. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 16 Sep. 2022 Volunteers have spent the past three weeks helping to secure and move the documents left behind, and local business leaders have offered storage space and moving equipment. Casey Parks, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2022 An 8-year-old child that won't get a chance to be a news reporter, police chief, or anyone else because of a tragic circumstance involving adults who didn't think enough to secure a weapon and leave two kids at home with it. Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 13 Sep. 2022 The installation process is similar to that of any other window air conditioning unit—simply slide open your single-hung window, secure the unit into the window with screws, and plug the cord into the nearest outlet. Ana Escalante, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2022 That is raising the prices that pork processors pay to secure livestock and weighing on their bottom lines. Patrick Thomas, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Sometime in the eighth to ninth centuries, Solomon’s descendant King Hezekiah had a channel cut into the rock under the City of David to secure water supply to the Temple and surrounding inhabitants in case of an enemy invasion. Marion Fischel, Sun Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2022 In the meantime, health experts urge parents to secure their electronics and prevent children from accessing batteries. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2022 China's ruling Communist Party will hold its five-yearly congress beginning on October 16, with Xi Jinping poised to secure an historic third leadership term and cement his place as the country's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. Reuters, CNN, 30 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Latin securus safe, secure, from se without + cura care — more at suicide
First Known Use
Adjective
circa 1545, in the meaning defined at sense 2c
Verb
1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing secure
Kids Definition
secure 1 of 2
adjective
se·cure si-ˈkyu̇r
securer; securest
1
: free from danger or risk
Being home made me feel secure.
2
: strong or firm enough to ensure safety
a secure lock
3
: free from worry or doubt : confident
He's secure in his abilities.
4
: sure entry 1 sense 5, certain
Victory is secure.
secure
2 of 2verb
secured; securing
1
: to make safe
Police secured the building.
2
: to fasten or put something in a place to keep it from coming loose
Secure your belongings under the seat.
3
: to get hold of : acquire
… "Your father has finally secured passage for us …" Theodore Taylor, The Cay
Theodore Taylor, The Cay Legal Definition
secure
transitive verb
se·cure
secured; securing
1
: to put beyond hazard of losing or not receiving
secure the blessings of liberty U.S. Constitution preamble
U.S. Constitution preamble2
a
: to protect or make certain (as by lien)
make a just and equitable partition and secure the parties' respective interests Denton v. Lazenby, 879 P.2d 607 (1994)
Denton v. Lazenby, 879 P.2d 607 (1994) b
: to give security for (as a loan) or otherwise assure the payment, performance, or execution of with security
the court imposed a lien on his property to secure the judgment
c
: to give or pledge security to (as a creditor)
broadly : to cause to have security or a security interest
a creditor secured by a lien on real property
secure 1 of 2
verb
1
as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from sent troops to secure the city Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- protect
- safeguard
- defend
- guard
- shield
- keep
- bulwark
- fence
- fend
- prevent
- save
- ward
- preserve
- forfend
- screen
- cover
- stand up for
- conserve
- avert
- withstand
- resist
- war
- oppose
- contend
- fight
- buffer
- battle
- wall
- palisade
- picket
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- attack
- assault
- submit
- overrun
- assail
- yield
- cave
- beset
- bombard
- besiege
- storm
- capitulate
2
as in to ensure
to make sure, certain, or safe a retirement account that will help to secure our future Synonyms & Similar Words
- ensure
- assure
- guarantee
- insure
- guaranty
- cinch
- ice
- promise
- certify
- witness
- vouch
- warrant
- pledge
- attest
- swear
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- undermine
- weaken
- enfeeble
3
as in to fasten
to put securely in place or in a desired position candidates for admission are asked to secure a recent photo to their application forms Synonyms & Similar Words
- fasten
- clamp
- anchor
- hitch
- catch
- fix
- set
- moor
- embed
- entrench
- wedge
- stuff
- implant
- lodge
- imbed
- engrain
- ingrain
- intrench
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loose
- loosen
- unfasten
- extract
- pull
- prize
- unloose
- pry
- tear (out)
- wrest
- uproot
- unloosen
- unfix
- yank
- root (out)
4
as in to win
to receive as return for effort finally secured a job after sending out dozens of applications Synonyms & Similar Words
- win
- earn
- gain
- obtain
- reap
- make
- garner
- get
- land
- attain
- procure
- acquire
- capture
- achieve
- carry
- realize
- draw
- pull down
- come by
- bag
- bring in
- knock down
- accomplish
- net
- regain
- accumulate
- occupy
- score
- clear
- amass
- gross
- recapture
- annex
- take over
- catch
- rack up
- reacquire
- pick up
- remake
- notch (up)
- reattain
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lose
- forfeit
- pay
- give
- grant
- yield
- surrender
- relinquish
- accord
- give up
- hand over
- part (with)
secure
2 of 2adjective
1
as in confident
having or showing great faith in oneself or one's abilities he's so secure about winning the marathon that he's practically spent the prize money Synonyms & Similar Words
- confident
- assured
- optimistic
- hopeful
- proud
- poised
- serene
- self-assured
- composed
- tranquil
- self-confident
- collected
- smug
- unshaken
- cool
- important
- unperturbed
- recollected
- complacent
- self-asserting
- coolheaded
- upbeat
- rosy
- unshakable
- sanguine
- imperturbable
- self-possessed
- disciplined
- unflappable
- vain
- self-affected
- conceited
- self-pleased
- nerveless
- egotistic
- self-complacent
- pompous
- self-sufficient
- vainglorious
- prideful
- overweening
- self-applauding
- self-contented
- egoistic
- self-satisfied
- self-reliant
- self-poised
- self-collected
- self-composed
- egotistical
- self-controlled
- self-contained
- self-important
- stuck-up
- egoistical
- unself-conscious
- self-centered
- self-conceited
- self-promoting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- insecure
- modest
- diffident
- timid
- humble
- meek
- unassertive
- quiet
- nervous
- unassuming
- unpretentious
- reserved
- jumpy
- self-distrustful
- jittery
- self-doubting
- shy
- bashful
- demure
- overmodest
- mousy
- mousey
- self-reproving
- self-reproachful
- self-critical
2
as in safe
not exposed to the threat of loss or injury the fortress was thought to be secure against attack Synonyms & Similar Words
- safe
- alright
- well
- intact
- unharmed
- all right
- home free
- sound
- healthy
- whole
- hale
- uninjured
- unscathed
- unhurt
- scatheless
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- open
- vulnerable
- insecure
- unsafe
- liable
- susceptible
- subject (to)
- exposed
- threatened
- imperiled
- endangered
- violable
- imperilled
- damaged
- injured
- hurt
- wounded
- harmed
- scathed
3
as in protecting
providing safety escaped to a secure location Synonyms & Similar Words
- safe
- protecting
- protected
- snug
- safeguarding
- sheltered
- guarded
- sheltering
- guarding
- shielding
- defended
- shielded
- impregnable
- unassailable
- inviolable
- invulnerable
- unconquerable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dangerous
- hazardous
- risky
- insecure
- unsafe
- perilous
- vulnerable
- threatening
- unprotected
- menacing
- precarious
- unguarded
- uncertain
- treacherous
- parlous
- undefended
- minatory
4
as in reliable
worthy of one's trust a fund that should provide them with a secure income in their retirement Synonyms & Similar Words
- reliable
- safe
- responsible
- good
- true
- steady
- solid
- dependable
- trustworthy
- loyal
- sure
- tried
- trusty
- trustable
- calculable
- strong
- devoted
- constant
- faithful
- fast
- steadfast
- effective
- proven
- tried-and-true
- honest
- staunch
- sincere
- stanch
- sound
- valid
- validated
- infallible
- firm
- authenticated
- bedrock
- unerring
- telling
- confirmed
- verified
- unimpeachable
- faultless
- unquestionable
- attested
- irreproachable
- blameless
- impeccable
- guiltless
- single-minded
- true-blue
- inerrant
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unsafe
- uncertain
- unreliable
- treacherous
- untrustworthy
- false
- uncertain
- undependable
- risky
- shaky
- questionable
- disloyal
- doubtful
- dodgy
- problematic
- hazardous
- fickle
- untrue
- problematical
- dubious
- dishonest
- unfaithful
- perfidious
- traitorous
- lying
- shady
- inconstant
- unsound
- deceitful
- faithless
- suspect
- debatable
- mendacious
- untruthful
- disputable
- fishy
- recreant
- untried
- unconfirmed
- doubtable
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of secure are assure, ensure, and insure. While all these words mean "to make a thing or person sure," secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.
sent reinforcements to secure their position
The words assure and secure can be used in similar contexts, but assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind.
I assure you that no harm will be done
Ensure, insure, and assure are interchangeable in many contexts where they indicate the making certain or inevitable of an outcome, but ensure may imply a virtual guarantee.
the government has ensured the safety of the refugees
While the synonyms insure and secure are close in meaning, insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand.
careful planning should insure the success of the party