insecure

insecure — adjective

1. feeling worried and uncertain about your own qualities, abilities, or whether ot

1.形容詞B2
釋義

feeling worried and uncertain about your own qualities, abilities, or whether other people truly like or accept you

例句

Pim felt insecure about his ability to give the speech in front of so many people.

feel insecure + about + ability

Meera's insecure behaviour made her constantly ask friends if they still liked her.

attributive: insecure behaviour / insecure teenager

同義詞
  • self-conscious

    weaker — suggests being aware of how one appears rather than deep self-doubt

  • uncertain

    broader — refers to any kind of doubt, not specifically about oneself

  • diffident

    formal — describes someone who hesitates because they lack confidence

反義詞

文法句型

be + insecure

feel + insecure

insecure + about + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Predicative use (feel insecure, be insecure) is far more common than attributive use (insecure person). Subject is always a person or a group of people.

常見錯誤

❌I am insecure of my English.
✅I feel insecure about my English.
💡the correct preposition is 'about', not 'of'.
❌He is insecure to talk in public.
✅He feels insecure about speaking in public.
💡use 'about + gerund', not an infinitive.

2. not safe from harm, theft, or attack — used to describe a building, place, compu

2.形容詞B2
釋義

not safe from harm, theft, or attack — used to describe a building, place, computer system, or situation that can easily be accessed or damaged by others

例句

The old apartment building had insecure locks on every ground-floor window.

attributive: insecure + noun (locks / building / network)

Baraka warned the team that their password system was insecure and urgently needed an upgrade.

predicative: system + was + insecure

同義詞
  • unsafe

    more general — describes any situation involving danger

  • vulnerable

    focuses on being open to attack or harm

  • exposed

    suggests a lack of physical or digital barriers

反義詞
  • secure

    properly protected against threats

  • safe

    free from danger or harm

文法句型

insecure + noun

be + insecure

用法筆記

Commonly used for computer networks, data storage, buildings, military positions, and financial systems. The opposite sense (secure) is often preferred in marketing of products.

常見錯誤

❌I feel insecure outside at night.
✅This area feels unsafe at night.
💡use 'insecure' for places/systems lacking protection, not for personal fear of danger.
❌This password is insecure to use.
✅This password system is insecure.
💡describe the system, not the action of using it.

3. not providing a steady or reliable income, home, or supply — making it difficult

3.形容詞C1
釋義

not providing a steady or reliable income, home, or supply — making it difficult to plan for the future or feel safe from hardship

例句

Vinícius worried constantly because his job at the market was insecure and paid very little.

predicative: job / income / future + was + insecure

Anthony's family lived in an insecure situation, never knowing if they could afford next month's rent.

同義詞
  • unstable

    broader — describes anything likely to change, not just financial

  • precarious

    formal — emphasises danger and uncertainty of the situation

反義詞
  • stable

    steady and unlikely to change for the worse

  • secure

    having a reliable income or situation

文法句型

be + insecure

financially + insecure

用法筆記

Typically describes jobs, income, housing, food supply, or someone's overall economic situation. The sense overlaps with 'unstable' but emphasises the risk of losing what one has.

常見錯誤

❌This chair is insecure.
✅This job is insecure.
💡for physical objects that shake, use sense 4; sense 3 is about financial/living conditions that could disappear.

4. not attached, fixed, or built strongly enough to stay in position — likely to wo

4.形容詞C1
釋義

not attached, fixed, or built strongly enough to stay in position — likely to wobble, fall, collapse, or give way under pressure

例句

The bookshelf felt insecure under the weight of the heavy volumes, wobbling whenever someone walked past.

predicative: feel insecure (physical sense)

Meera grabbed the insecure handrail on the stairway, afraid it would come off the wall.

attributive: insecure + noun (handrail / shelf / ladder)

同義詞
  • shaky

    more informal — describes something that moves or trembles easily

  • loose

    suggests something is not tight rather than structurally weak

  • rickety

    informal — describes something old and poorly built that is likely to break

反義詞
  • firm

    solidly in position; not moving

  • sturdy

    strongly built; able to support weight without problems

文法句型

be + insecure

feel + insecure

insecure + noun

用法筆記

Used for physical objects — shelves, railings, chair legs, ladders, ropes, and structures. The subject is the object itself, not a person.

常見錯誤

❌My phone connection is insecure.
✅The ladder felt insecure when I stepped on it.
💡phone connections use sense 2 (NOT PROTECTED); physical instability uses this sense.