insecurity

/ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊərəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊrəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌin-si-ˈkyu̇r-ə-tē/ (ame, mw)

insecurity — 名詞

  • insecuritysingular
  • insecuritiesplural

1. the feeling of not being confident about yourself, your abilities, or whether ot

1.名詞B2
釋義

不安全感

對自身能力或人際缺乏信心

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.

例句

Despite her impressive qualifications, Mei often felt insecurity about her ability to lead the team.

儘管梅依擁有出色的資歷，她仍時常對自己帶領團隊的能力感到不安。

insecurity about [something]

Diego's constant need for praise from his supervisor was a clear sign of deep personal insecurity.

Diego 不斷需要主管的稱讚，正是內心深處不安全感明顯的表現。

deep personal insecurity

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • 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

❌I have an insecurity about speaking in public.
✅I have insecurities about speaking in public.' / 'I feel insecure about speaking in public.
💡When referring to specific doubts, use the plural form 'insecurities' rather than the singular 'an insecurity.'

2. the condition of a place, building, or situation being unsafe, unstable, or not

2.名詞B2
釋義

不安全

場所或處境不穩固缺乏保護

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.

例句

After the recent break-ins, the insecurity of the neighbourhood became a serious concern for residents.

近來發生多起闖入事件後，該社區的不安全成了居民嚴重的擔憂。

insecurity of [place]

The engineer's report warned about the structural insecurity of the old bridge.

工程師的報告警告說，這座舊橋存在結構上的安全疑慮。

structural insecurity

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • security

    the direct opposite — being safe, protected, and stable

  • safety

    focuses on protection from harm or danger

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

❌The insecurity of the building made us anxious' (unclear whether emotional or physical).
✅The structural insecurity of the building worried the safety inspectors.
💡When referring to physical danger, specify the type to avoid confusing with emotional insecurity.

3. the condition of not being certain that you will have enough money, food, housin

3.名詞B2
釋義

經濟不穩定

基本生活所需無法確保

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.

例句

Job insecurity pushed many workers in the factory to accept longer hours for the same pay.

工作不穩定迫使工廠許多勞工接受工時更長但薪資不變的條件。

collocation: job insecurity

Food insecurity affects millions of families who cannot always afford three meals a day.

糧食不穩定影響了數百萬無法總是負擔一日三餐的家庭。

collocation: food insecurity

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • security

    the direct opposite — having stable income, housing, and food

  • stability

    focuses on steady, predictable conditions rather than safety per se

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.

常見錯誤

❌Food insecurity means not having enough food.' (correct but incomplete).
✅Food insecurity means being uncertain about where your next meal will come from, not necessarily being hungry all the time.
💡The key is uncertainty, not immediate deprivation.