assurance

/əˈʃʊərəns/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈʃʊrəns/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈshu̇r-ən(t)s/ (ame, mw)

assurance — noun

1. a firm spoken or written commitment that something will happen or is true, often

1.名詞C1
釋義

a firm spoken or written commitment that something will happen or is true, often given to calm someone's worries.

例句

The mayor gave residents an assurance that the new bridge would open by June.

assurance + that-clause

Despite repeated assurances from the airline, Mei-Ling's suitcase never arrived in Taipei.

plural: repeated assurances from [source]

同義詞
  • promise

    more everyday and less formal than 'assurance'

  • guarantee

    stronger; suggests a binding commitment with consequences if broken

  • pledge

    formal and often public; usually about future conduct

文法句型

assurance + that-clause

give/seek/receive an assurance

用法筆記

Often appears in the fixed pattern 'give/receive/seek an assurance (that)…'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is countable and refers to the spoken or written promise itself, not the inner feeling of certainty.

常見錯誤

❌He told me an assurance that the goods would arrive.
✅He gave me an assurance that the goods would arrive.
💡the standard verb is 'give', not 'tell'.

2. a calm feeling of trust in your own judgement or skills, shown in how you speak

2.名詞C2
釋義

a calm feeling of trust in your own judgement or skills, shown in how you speak and act.

例句

Leila answered every question with the quiet assurance of an experienced lawyer.

with + adjective + assurance

After two years on stage, the young pianist plays with real assurance.

with assurance (manner)

同義詞
  • confidence

    more common everyday word; 'assurance' sounds more poised and adult

  • poise

    stresses graceful self-control under pressure

  • self-assurance

    near-identical meaning; emphasises the source is the self

反義詞
  • self-doubt

    the inner uncertainty 'assurance' is free from

文法句型

with quiet/calm/easy assurance

用法筆記

Uncountable; never 'an assurance' in this sense. Distinguish from sense 1 by structure: this sense usually appears as 'with [adjective] assurance' to describe manner, not as the object of 'give' or 'receive'.

常見錯誤

❌She has an assurance when she speaks in public.
✅She has great assurance when she speaks in public.
💡this sense is uncountable, so no 'an'.

3. in British English, a kind of insurance that pays money when the holder dies, si

3.名詞
釋義

in British English, a kind of insurance that pays money when the holder dies, since death is sure to occur at some point.

例句

Mr. Brown took out life assurance soon after his daughter was born.

fixed phrase: life assurance

In Britain, banks often sell life assurance alongside home loans.

regional note: British use

同義詞

文法句型

life assurance

take out assurance

用法筆記

Almost always appears as 'life assurance' and is mainly British. American English uses 'life insurance' for the same product. Distinguish from sense 1 (a promise) by collocation: 'take out assurance', 'assurance policy'.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a life assurance from an American bank in New York.
✅I bought life insurance from an American bank in New York.
💡Americans say 'life insurance', not 'life assurance'.