ensure
verb
Simple meaning
To make sure something happens.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ehnshuurSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɛnˈʃʊɹ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
Be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something
“This nest egg will ensure a nice retirement for us.”
intransitive
To make sure or certain of something (usually some future event or condition).
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
This meaning: Be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something
Used this way, ensure is a common word with a clearly warm, approving pull. It quietly approves while staying precise.
“This nest egg will ensure a nice retirement for us.”
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Careful and exacting
- Usage feel
- Precise and approving
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use ensure
- “This nest egg will ensure a nice retirement for us.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.