secure
The state of being protected from danger, risk, or threat, or the act of ensuring something is firmly fixed or certain. While primarily used as an adjective or verb, in academic and technical contexts it refers to the condition of a system being safe from unauthorized access or the successful acquisition of resources.
Examples
3 of 5Make sure the front door is secure before you go to bed.
Ensure that the front door is locked and safe before sleeping.
The state must take decisive action to secure its national borders.
The government needs to act firmly to protect the country's boundaries.
I managed to secure a great seat for the game at the last minute.
I luckily got a very good place to sit for the match.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of 'SE-CURE' as a 'CURE' for 'SE' (separation/fear)—when you have a cure for fear, you are secure.
Quick Quiz
The primary goal of the mission was to ___ the area before the medical team arrived.
Correct!
The correct answer is: secure
Examples
Make sure the front door is secure before you go to bed.
everydayEnsure that the front door is locked and safe before sleeping.
The state must take decisive action to secure its national borders.
formalThe government needs to act firmly to protect the country's boundaries.
I managed to secure a great seat for the game at the last minute.
informalI luckily got a very good place to sit for the match.
In this study, we aim to secure a consistent data set across multiple demographics.
academicThis research intends to obtain a stable and reliable group of data.
The corporation worked for months to secure the merger with their rival.
businessThe company spent a long time ensuring the successful combination with their competitor.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
secure a victory
to ensure a win in a competition or conflict
secure the bag
slang for obtaining a large sum of money or reaching a goal
secure a spot
to guarantee a place in a list or event
Often Confused With
'Secure' is usually the action (verb) or the state (adjective), whereas 'security' is the abstract noun for the concept or the department.
'Ensure' means to make certain an event happens, while 'secure' often implies physical protection or the act of grasping/obtaining something.
Usage Notes
In B2 level writing, use 'secure' as a verb to sound more professional than 'get' or 'obtain' when talking about results, funding, or agreements.
Common Mistakes
Learners often use 'secure' as a noun (e.g., 'The secure of the building') instead of the correct noun form 'security'.
Memory Tip
Think of 'SE-CURE' as a 'CURE' for 'SE' (separation/fear)—when you have a cure for fear, you are secure.
Word Origin
From the Latin 'securus', where 'se-' means 'without' and 'cura' means 'care' or 'worry'—literally 'without worry'.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
The concept of 'secure attachment' is central to modern Western parenting and developmental psychology.
Quick Quiz
The primary goal of the mission was to ___ the area before the medical team arrived.
Correct!
The correct answer is: secure
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
Related Words
unvolsion
C1The process of deliberately detaching or withdrawing from a state of complex entanglement or involvement, often within social or systemic structures. It describes a conscious reversal of 'involution,' where one seeks to simplify or exit a convoluted situation.
circumpugible
C1To systematically encircle and attack or challenge a target from all possible directions. This verb is often used to describe strategic military maneuvers or intense rhetorical debates where an opponent is overwhelmed from every side.
semidocable
C1A semidocable is a technical component or data unit that possesses limited or conditional compatibility with a primary docking system or documentation framework. It typically designates an item that requires secondary manual verification or a specialized adapter to achieve full functional integration.
postgradism
C1Postgradism refers to the sociocultural condition, mindset, or lifestyle associated with being a postgraduate student. It often describes the immersive academic environment or the tendency for individuals to remain in higher education for an extended period after completing their initial degree.
inurbtude
C1To cause a person to lose their refined or sophisticated manners, typically by subjecting them to a rough or unpolished environment. It describes the process of becoming inurbane, socially coarse, or lacking in city-bred civility.
hypermaterness
C1Characterized by or relating to an extreme, often overbearing state of maternal instinct and overprotectiveness. This term is used to describe a level of mothering that exceeds typical boundaries, potentially stifling the independence of the child.
decedance
C1Characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline, often associated with excessive indulgence in luxury, pleasure, or self-gratification. In modern contexts, it frequently describes things that are luxuriously rich or self-indulgent to the point of being excessive.
tricentcide
C1Describing an act, event, or substance that results in the destruction or death of exactly three hundred distinct entities or individuals. It is also used in theoretical historical contexts to describe the catastrophic end of a three-hundred-year cycle or era.
autofugdom
C1Describing a state of self-imposed isolation or the psychological condition of fleeing from one's own identity or social responsibilities. It characterizes a person or behavior focused on internal withdrawal and the avoidance of external reality to preserve a sense of self.
inplication
C1To show that someone or something is involved in a crime, a scandal, or an undesirable situation. It can also refer to demonstrating that something is a contributing factor or cause of a specific outcome, typically a negative one.
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