insecurity
/ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊərəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊrəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌin-si-ˈkyu̇r-ə-tē/ (ame, mw)
insecurity — noun
- insecuritysingular
- insecuritiesplural
1. the feeling of not being confident about yourself, your abilities, or whether ot
the feeling of not being confident about yourself, your abilities, or whether other people accept you — for example, worrying that you are not good enough at your job, or that people do not truly like you.
Despite her impressive qualifications, Mei often felt insecurity about her ability to lead the team.
insecurity about [something]
Diego's constant need for praise from his supervisor was a clear sign of deep personal insecurity.
deep personal insecurity
The therapist helped Elena work through the insecurities she had carried since childhood.
- self-doubt
emphasises questioning one's own abilities; more specific than insecurity
- uncertainty
broader — can refer to any lack of certainty, not just about oneself
- anxiety
a stronger feeling of worry or fear; overlaps with insecurity but more intense
- vulnerability
focuses on being emotionally open to hurt; less about self-judgment, more about sensitivity
- confidence
the direct opposite — belief in one's own abilities
- self-assurance
firm trust in oneself; a stronger, steadier form of confidence
文法句型
insecurity about [something]
insecurities (plural, specific doubts)
用法筆記
Used as an uncountable noun for the general feeling ('He suffers from insecurity'), or as a countable plural for specific doubts or worries ('She has many insecurities about her appearance').
常見錯誤
2. the condition of a place, building, or situation being unsafe, unstable, or not
the condition of a place, building, or situation being unsafe, unstable, or not well protected against harm — such as a neighbourhood with frequent crime, a bridge that might collapse, or a computer system that can be hacked.
After the recent break-ins, the insecurity of the neighbourhood became a serious concern for residents.
insecurity of [place]
The engineer's report warned about the structural insecurity of the old bridge.
structural insecurity
Investors pulled their money out, worried about the insecurity of the country's financial system.
- instability
focuses on lack of firmness or likelihood of collapse, especially for structures or systems
- vulnerability
emphasises being open to attack or damage; often used for computer systems
- unsafety
rare; the direct noun form but very uncommon in everyday English
文法句型
insecurity of [something]
用法筆記
Typically used with 'of' followed by the place or system that is not safe ('the insecurity of the building'). Often preceded by an adjective specifying the type of risk ('structural insecurity', 'physical insecurity'). Not used in plural form for this sense.
常見錯誤
3. the condition of not being certain that you will have enough money, food, housin
the condition of not being certain that you will have enough money, food, housing, or other basic necessities for a stable life — for example, not knowing whether your job will last, or whether you can afford next month's rent.
Job insecurity pushed many workers in the factory to accept longer hours for the same pay.
collocation: job insecurity
Food insecurity affects millions of families who cannot always afford three meals a day.
collocation: food insecurity
The rising cost of rent created a growing sense of housing insecurity among young people in Taipei.
- precarity
formal term for unstable living or working conditions; less common in everyday speech
- instability
can describe financial or economic uncertainty; broader in meaning
- uncertainty
more general; insecurity in this sense implies uncertainty about basic needs
文法句型
[noun] + insecurity
insecurity of [something]
用法筆記
Commonly combined with a preceding noun to specify the type of uncertainty: 'job insecurity', 'food insecurity', 'housing insecurity', 'economic insecurity'. Used as an uncountable noun only — no plural form in this sense.