insecurely
insecurely — 副詞
1. in a way that is not safe, strong, or firmly fixed, so that something could move
不安全地
不牢固；有掉落或倒塌風險
in a way that is not safe, strong, or firmly fixed, so that something could move, fall, or break easily
The bookshelf was insecurely attached to the wall and wobbled whenever someone walked past.
那個書架沒有牢固地固定在牆上，有人走過就會搖晃。
attached + to + wall — describing physical fastening
The boat sat insecurely on the muddy riverbank, tilting slightly to one side.
那艘船不穩地停在泥濘的河岸邊，微微向一側傾斜。
physical position — likely to move or tip
The electrician warned us that the old fuse box was insecurely mounted inside the cupboard.
電工警告我們，舊的保險絲盒在櫥櫃裡安裝得不牢固。
- unsafely
closer in meaning but broader — covers any safety risk, not just weak fastening
- precariously
more formal; emphasises the risk of collapse or fall
文法句型
modifies verb of position/fastening
用法筆記
Commonly modifies verbs of fastening or positioning such as attach, fix, mount, tie, or place. The object is usually a physical structure or object.
常見錯誤
2. in a way that shows you lack confidence in yourself or feel uncertain and nervou
不自信地
缺乏自信、緊張不安地
in a way that shows you lack confidence in yourself or feel uncertain and nervous in a social situation
The new student smiled insecurely and glanced at the floor when the teacher called her name.
那位新同學不太自信地笑了笑，老師點名時她低頭看著地板。
modifies smiling and body language — social unease
Kwame spoke insecurely during the job interview, hesitating before every answer.
Kwame 在求職面試中很不自信地發言，每個答案都猶豫不決。
spoke + adverb — describes manner of speech
The waitress laughed insecurely, as if waiting for someone to tell her she had said something wrong.
那位女服務生不安地笑了笑，好像在等別人告訴她說錯了什麼話。
- uncertainly
focuses on lack of certainty rather than lack of self-worth
- nervously
more general; describes anxious behaviour, not necessarily about self-image
- tentatively
more formal; suggests hesitation more than emotional insecurity
- confidently
in a self-assured, certain way
文法句型
modifies verb of speaking/moving/behaving
用法筆記
Describes behaviour that reveals inner nervousness — often paired with verbs of speaking (say, reply, ask), moving (walk, stand), or expressing emotion (smile, laugh).
常見錯誤
insecurely — 形容詞
1. not confident about yourself or your abilities; feeling anxious and uncertain ab
沒自信的
對自己能力感到不安
not confident about yourself or your abilities; feeling anxious and uncertain about whether you are good enough
Mei-Lin felt insecure about her English accent when she first moved to London.
Mei-Lin 剛搬到倫敦時，對自己的英文口音很沒自信。
insecure about + [thing] — common pattern
Many teenagers feel insecure about their appearance because of the pressure they see on social media.
因為社群媒體上的壓力，許多青少年對自己的外表感到不安。
feel insecure about [noun] — expressing a personal concern
Even after ten years in the job, Dr. Okafor sometimes felt insecure when senior colleagues questioned his methods.
即使做了十年工作，Dr. Okafor 在資深同事質疑他的方法時，有時仍會感到沒自信。
- unsure of yourself
less formal; emphasises lack of certainty in a specific situation
- self-conscious
focuses on feeling uncomfortably aware of how others see you
- anxious
broader; can describe worry about many things, not just self-image
- confident
sure of your own abilities or qualities
文法句型
feel + insecure
insecure about + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Usually describes a person's emotional state, not a permanent trait. Frequently appears in the pattern feel insecure about + noun/gerund. The subject is typically a person.
常見錯誤
2. not emotionally stable or well-adjusted; having difficulty trusting others or bu
缺乏安全感的
情緒不穩定、難以信任他人
not emotionally stable or well-adjusted; having difficulty trusting others or building healthy relationships
The psychologist explained that children from unstable homes sometimes grow into insecure adults.
心理學家解釋說，來自不穩定家庭的孩子長大後可能成為缺乏安全感的成年人。
attributive: insecure + adult — describes a lasting trait
Sofia's insecure behaviour in the relationship made her check her partner's phone every night.
Sofia 在這段關係中缺乏安全感的行為，讓她每晚都要檢查伴侶的手機。
insecure + behaviour — trait affecting actions
An insecure attachment style often develops when a child's emotional needs are not consistently met.
當孩子的情感需求沒有得到持續滿足時，往往會發展出不安全的依附型態。
- secure
emotionally stable and able to form healthy attachments
文法句型
insecure + noun (attributive)
emotionally insecure
用法筆記
Often used in psychology and relationship contexts. Insecure attachment is a specific term for a pattern in which a person fears losing their partner's affection. Distinguish from sense 1 (temporary lack of confidence about abilities): this sense describes a deeper, more lasting pattern in relationships and emotional life.
3. not safe or adequately protected from danger, attack, or harm
不安全的
缺乏保護、有危險
not safe or adequately protected from danger, attack, or harm
The house felt insecure with its broken lock and ground-floor windows that anyone could open.
那棟房子的門鎖壞了，一樓窗戶任何人都能打開，讓人覺得很不安全。
feel + insecure — describing a place as unsafe
Older password systems leave user data insecure and vulnerable to hackers.
舊的密碼系統使用戶資料暴露在不安全的環境中，容易受到駭客攻擊。
insecure + noun — technical/privacy context
The refugees were moved to a more secure camp because their previous shelter was too insecure.
難民被轉移到一個較安全的營區，因為原本的避難所太不安全了。
- unsafe
nearly interchangeable; more commonly used for physical danger
- vulnerable
suggests the potential for harm from a specific threat
- exposed
suggests lack of protection from something that is close by
文法句型
feel + insecure
insecure + noun
用法筆記
Applies to physical places (buildings, rooms, areas), digital systems (networks, passwords, websites), and situations. The opposite is secure. For physical objects that may fall or break, use sense 4 (NOT FIRMLY FIXED) instead.
常見錯誤
4. not firmly fastened or fixed in position; likely to move, fall, or give way beca
不穩固的
固定不牢、可能鬆脫
not firmly fastened or fixed in position; likely to move, fall, or give way because of weakness in its structure
The building inspector condemned the balcony because its railing was insecure and could not hold a person's weight.
建築檢查員認定陽台不合格，因為欄杆不穩固，無法承受人的重量。
was insecure — predicative, describing structural weakness
A single insecure screw in the leg of the dining table made it rock every time someone leaned on it.
餐桌桌腳有一顆螺絲沒鎖緊，每次有人靠在上面桌子就會搖晃。
insecure + noun — attributive describing a specific part
The ladder felt insecure on the uneven ground, and Chen Wei decided not to climb it.
梯子在凹凸不平的地面上放得不穩，Chen Wei 決定不爬上去。
文法句型
be + insecure
insecure + noun
用法筆記
Describes physical objects whose fastening, foundation, or structure is weak. Distinguish from sense 3 (NOT PROTECTED), which is about safety from harm rather than about physical stability. A ladder can be insecure (might tip over) without being in an unsafe area.
5. lacking a steady or sufficient income, so that you cannot reliably pay for basic
經濟不穩的
收入不穩定、缺乏保障
lacking a steady or sufficient income, so that you cannot reliably pay for basic needs such as housing, food, or healthcare
Freelance workers often feel financially insecure because their income changes from month to month.
自由工作者常感到經濟上沒有保障，因為每個月的收入都不一樣。
financially insecure — adverb + adjective collocation
The Hernandez family lived in an insecure housing situation, never knowing how long they could stay in each rented room.
Hernandez 一家住在不穩定的住房中，從來不知道能在每間租屋待多久。
insecure housing situation — describes lack of stability
Without a pension or savings, many elderly people face an insecure retirement.
沒有退休金或儲蓄，許多老年人面臨不穩定的退休生活。
- precarious
more formal; describes a situation that could easily become worse
- unstable
broad term for income or living conditions that change unpredictably
- uncertain
focuses on the lack of predictability rather than lack of money itself
- financially secure
having enough money to meet needs reliably
- stable
income or living conditions that do not change unexpectedly
文法句型
financially insecure
insecure + noun
feel + insecure
用法筆記
Often used to discuss poverty, gig economy work, housing instability, and retirement planning. The modifier financially is very common with this sense to distinguish it from emotional or physical insecurity.