ensure

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
6
Words With Friends
8
Letters
6
Pronunciation
/ɪnˈʃɔː(ɹ)/
See all 4 pronunciations
/ɪnˈʃɔː(ɹ)/ · /ɪnˈʃʊə(ɹ)/ · /ɪnˈʃʊɹ/ · /ɪnˈʃɝ/

Definition of ensure

2 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. (intransitive)To make sure or certain of something (usually some future event or condition).
    “I use an alarm clock to ensure that I get up on time.”
    “British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.”
See all 2 definitions

verb

  1. (intransitive)To make sure or certain of something (usually some future event or condition).
    “I use an alarm clock to ensure that I get up on time.”
    “British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.”
  2. (obsolete, transitive)To make a pledge to (someone); to promise, guarantee (someone of something); to assure.
    “Thenne he cryed hym mercy and sayd Faire knyght for goddes loue slee me not / and I shall ensure the neuer werre ageynst thy lady / but be alwey toward her / Thenne Bors lete hym be”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Middle English ensuren, from Anglo-Norman enseurer, from Old French seur (“sure”). Doublet of insure.

Hooks

4 extensions · 1 front · 3 back

A single letter you can add to ensure to make another valid word.

Find your best play with ensure

See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes ensure, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.