Unsure

ʌnˈʃʊər

adjectiveBeginnerCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

Lacking certainty or confidence; doubtful.

ʌnˈʃʊər

adjectiveneutralBeginner
General

Not certain or confident

She was unsure if she should accept the job offer.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're choosing which ice cream flavor to get, and you can't decide! You're unsure – like, 'Hmm, should I get chocolate or vanilla?'

👶 For kids: When you don't know something for sure.

More Examples

2

The weather forecast is unsure, so we should bring an umbrella.

3

He seemed unsure of his answer and hesitated before speaking.

How It's Used

Everyday conversation

"I'm unsure about the meeting time."

Academic writing

"The findings of the study are still unsure and require further investigation."

Idioms & expressions

unsure of oneself

Lacking confidence in one's abilities or decisions.

"He was unsure of himself during the interview."

From Middle English *unsure*, from Old English *unsǣr* ('unsafe, not secure'). The prefix 'un-' denotes negation.

The word 'unsure' has been used since the 14th century, primarily with the same meaning as today.

Memory tip

Think of someone *un*able to be *sure* about something.

unshoreunseer

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written