Assure
/əˈʃɔːr/ verb Base: assure | Past: assured | Past Participle: assured | -ing: assuring | 3rd person: assures
Definition
1. To tell someone something confidently to remove their doubts or worries.
2. To make something certain or guaranteed to happen.
2. To make something certain or guaranteed to happen.
Context Alive
You're about to get on a small plane for the first time, and your hands are shaking. The pilot notices, smiles, and says, "I've flown this route a thousand times — I can assure you, it's perfectly safe." You nod, but your stomach doesn't seem convinced. Your friend grabs your arm and assures you that the flight will be smooth and over before you know it. Somehow, hearing it from two different people helps, and by the time you're in the air, you're actually enjoying the view.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 To Remove Someone's Doubts (Verb) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about telling someone something with confidence to make them feel less worried or more certain. Imagine a parent whose child is nervous about starting a new school — the parent assures them that they'll make friends quickly and everything will be fine. This is using your words to calm someone's fears. You might say "I can assure you this won't happen again" as a promise to fix a recurring problem, or someone could say "she assured me the package would arrive by Friday". Or picture a doctor who assures a patient that the procedure is routine and carries very low risk — the patient relaxes because they trust the expert's word. The word suggests speaking with confidence to build trust.
Vivid ExampleThe plumber looked at the mess of pipes under the kitchen sink and said, "I can fix this in about an hour — I assure you, it's not as bad as it looks." Three hours, two trips to the hardware shop, and one flooded kitchen floor later, those words were all she could think about. The plumber, to his credit, eventually fixed everything and didn't charge for the extra time — but her trust in the word "assure" took a serious hit that day.
2 To Make Something Certain (Verb) Less Common ▼
This meaning is about guaranteeing or securing an outcome. Imagine a football team that wins its last match and assures its place in the final — the result is now certain. This is about making something definite. You might read "the early goal assured their victory" about a match where the lead was never lost, or someone could say "the investment assured the company's survival for another year". Or think about a student who gets such high marks on coursework that their pass is already assured before the final exam. The word suggests making an outcome unavoidable.
Vivid ExampleThe team had assured their promotion with three games still to play — the maths was impossible for anyone else to catch them. On the evening it became official, the captain posted a photo of the squad celebrating in the dressing room, covered in champagne and grinning like children. Twenty years in the lower divisions, and one incredible season had assured them a place they'd only ever dreamed about.
Examples from the Street
I can assure you, we've checked the numbers three times — the budget is correct.
Confidently confirming to someone that the figures are accurate after thorough checking.
She assured me the restaurant was good, but the food was terrible.
She confidently said the restaurant was worth visiting, but the experience was disappointing.
That late equaliser assured them a place in the knockout stage.
The last-minute goal guaranteed they'd advance to the next round.
Common Patterns
assure someone (that) + clause → to tell someone confidently — "I assure you it's safe"
rest assured → don't worry, be confident — "rest assured, we'll handle it"
assure someone of something → to guarantee — "he assured her of his support"
assure success / victory / survival → to make an outcome certain
I can assure you → a strong phrase used to emphasise sincerity
assure + person + (that) + clause → "I assured him that everything was fine"
assure + person + of + noun → "She assured me of her loyalty"
be assured of + noun → "you can be assured of a warm welcome"
Collocations
4 collocationsassure someone that
tell someone something to remove doubt
rest assured
be confident that everything is fine
assure quality
guarantee a high standard
I can assure you
I promise you this is true
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
I can assure you, this is the best pizza you'll ever eat.
Sizi temin ederim, bu yiyeceğiniz en iyi pizza olacak.
2
The doctor assured her that the test results were completely normal.
Doktor, test sonuçlarının tamamen normal olduğu konusunda onu rahatlattı.
3
He assured his parents he would call as soon as he arrived.
Varır varmaz arayacağı konusunda ailesine güvence verdi.
4
The manager assured the team that no one would lose their job during the restructure.
Müdür, yeniden yapılanma sırasında kimsenin işini kaybetmeyeceği konusunda ekibi rahatlattı.
5
Rest assured, your personal data is protected by the latest encryption technology.
İçiniz rahat olsun, kişisel verileriniz en son şifreleme teknolojisiyle korunuyor.
6
She assured me the train would be on time, and for once, it actually was.
Trenin zamanında olacağını söyledi ve bir kez olsun gerçekten zamanında geldi.
7
A three-goal lead in the first half practically assured them of victory.
İlk yarıdaki üç gollük fark onlara galibiyeti neredeyse garanti etti.
8
I assure you, I had nothing to do with what happened at the office yesterday.
Sizi temin ederim, dün ofiste olanlarla hiçbir ilgim yok.
9
The teacher assured the nervous students that the exam would be fair and based only on what they'd covered in class.
Öğretmen gergin öğrencilere sınavın adil olacağını ve sadece derste işledikleri konulardan oluşacağını söyledi.
10
He spoke in a calm, assured voice that instantly made everyone in the room feel safer.
Sakin ve güven dolu bir sesle konuştu, bu da odadaki herkesin anında daha güvende hissetmesini sağladı.
Learner Examples
★
Before the speaking test, the examiner assured the students that it was a conversation, not an interrogation, and that mistakes were completely normal.
Konuşma sınavından önce, sınav görevlisi öğrencilere bunun bir sorgulama değil sohbet olduğunu ve hataların tamamen normal olduğunu söyledi.
★
The language exchange partner assured her that her English was much better than she thought, which gave her the confidence to speak more freely.
Dil değişim partneri, İngilizcesinin düşündüğünden çok daha iyi olduğu konusunda onu rahatlattı ve bu ona daha rahat konuşma özgüveni verdi.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
2 items Idioms & Expressionsrest assured — be confident and stop worrying
Rest assured, your package will arrive by Friday.
I assure you — I guarantee this is true
I assure you, this is the best decision for the team.
Synonyms & Antonyms
7 items
Synonymspromise
giving your word
guarantee
making something certain
reassure
calming someone's worries
convince
making someone believe you
Antonymsdoubt
making someone unsure
worry
causing concern
discourage
taking away confidence