ensure

[en-shoor, -shur]

verb (used with object)

ensured, ensuring 

1. to secure or guarantee.

   This letter will ensure you a hearing.

2. to make sure or certain.

   measures to ensure the success of an undertaking.

3. to make secure or safe, as from harm.

   Synonyms: safeguard, guard, protect

4. insure.

ensure

/ -ˈʃɔː, ɛnˈʃʊə /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object) to make certain or sure; guarantee

   this victory will ensure his happiness

2. to make safe or secure; protect

Other Word Forms

• ensurer noun
• unensured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ensure¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English ensuren, from Anglo-French enseurer; en- ¹ ( def. ), sure ( def. )

Example Sentences

His thoughtful and riveting performance ensures that we never stop pulling for Andy, even after he dooms the crew’s most vulnerable but least interesting member.

From Salon

Secondly, it also ensures that central areas behind the ball are occupied by good defenders, providing structural and individual defensive quality.

From BBC

When the reconstruction project is complete the sign will be relocated to ensure “compatibility with the new road designs and integrated into the broader improvements planned for the area,” according to airport officials.

From Los Angeles Times

The report, titled "A War of Atrocities" called on the international community to enforce an arms embargo as well as set up an independent judicial process to ensure alleged perpetrators face justice.

From BBC

Though the ban led to the cancellation of a planned shelter in Norwalk, city leaders contended that the policy largely was a negotiating tactic to ensure that the state and other agencies heard their concerns.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• assure 
• establish 
• insure 
• protect 
• provide 
• safeguard 
• secure 

When To Use

What's the difference between ensure, insure, and assure?

Ensure most commonly means to guarantee or make certain, as in Working hard ensures success. Insure typically means to guarantee against loss or harm or, more specifically, to cover with insurance. Assure usually means to tell someone something with confidence or to cause someone to know something with certainty—it often means the same thing as reassure.It’s no wonder there’s confusion between the three words—all three are verbs that are based on the Latin root sēcūrus, meaning safe. Making things even more confusing is the fact that ensure and insure can be used interchangeably in most senses. Still, insure is much more commonly used in the context of insurance, like car insurance, health insurance, and homeowner’s insurance. These kinds of insurance insure you—they give you coverage that provides you with compensation in certain cases and situations.Ensure is typically used in a more general way in the context of actions that are done to make sure that something happens or is the case, as in We need to ensure that the meeting starts on time.Assure is always used in the context of communication, especially in situations in which someone is trying to make someone else feel better about something. It’s used in the phrase rest assured.Here’s a quick cheat sheet to remember the most common uses of each word:ensure = make sureinsure = cover with insuranceassure = reassureHere’s an example of ensure, insure, and assure used correctly in a sentence.Example: She assured me that the company has ensured that every employee has the opportunity to be insured.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between ensure, insure, and assure.