assurance
/əˈʃʊər(ə)ns
/noun
1A positive declaration intended to give confidence; a promise: [with clause]: he gave an assurance that work would begin on Monday...
- Safety assurances cannot be guaranteed because there is always a first time for incidents to happen.
- Oral guarantees or assurances are worthless should a dispute arise in the future.
- Some analysts and Western diplomats, however, are skeptical of their assurances.
Synonyms
word of honour, word, guarantee, promise, pledge, vow, avowal, oath, bond, affirmation, undertaking, commitment
archaic troth, parole
2 [mass noun] Confidence or certainty in one’s own abilities: she drove with assurance...
- He belonged to a unique generation of Irish people whose strength and assurance lay in their ability to think for themselves.
- He was in determined mood and quickly established dominance of his area, however, despatching Salford shots with a confidence and assurance which belied his inexperience.
- He has also got organisational capabilities, he is a winner and he oozes confidence and assurance.
Synonyms
self-confidence, confidence, self-assurance, belief in oneself, faith in oneself, positiveness, assertiveness, self-possession, self-reliance, nerve, poise, aplomb, presence of mind, phlegm, level-headedness, cool-headedness;
coolness, calmness, composure, collectedness, sangfroid, equilibrium, equanimity, imperturbability, impassivity, nonchalance, serenity, tranquillity, peace of mind
informal cool, unflappability
2.1Certainty about something: assurance of faith depends on our trust in God...
- And it's a wonderful thing to have that kind of peace and assurance and joy and certainty.
- I sometimes look with envy on those whose faith brings comfort and assurance.
- On the one hand, I wish I had this woman's faith, her assurance about good and evil, about the way things will turn out.
Synonyms
certainty, guarantee, sureness, certitude, confidence;
hope, expectation
3 [mass noun] chiefly British Insurance, specifically life insurance.Following a slow start to the year, recruitment levels in the insurance, assurance and reinsurance industries have picked up significantly this month....
- Most lenders require mortgage holders to take out term assurance policies - a simple form of life insurance which pays off the mortgage debt if the holder dies.
- Anyone who is self-employed or not a member of a company pension scheme can buy life assurance protection via a personal pension assurance policy.
Synonyms
insurance, indemnity, indemnification, protection, security, surety, cover, coverage;
guarantee, safeguard, warranty, provision
Usage
In the context of life insurance, a technical distinction is made between assurance and insurance. Assurance is used of policies under whose terms a payment is guaranteed, either after a fixed term or on the death of the insured person; insurance is the general term, and is used in particular of policies under whose terms a payment would be made only in certain circumstances (e.g. accident or death within a limited period).
Origin
Late Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French, from assurer 'assure'.