Skip to main content
security

security

408 2.4
The feeling of being safe from danger or threat
  • noun
  • /sɪˈkjʊrɪti/
translation icon : sensación de seguridad
  • Many people feel a sense of security when they have a stable job and a home.
  • sense of security
  • safety and security
  • false sense of security

I was crippled with anxiety, no security or self worth.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • There's a certain security about having that.

  • Congressional authority over matters of national security derives from the Constitution.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Government is to provide safety and security for its citizens.

  • We become responsible for their safety, their security, their human rights.

  • And how do we have security without identity?

  • It's a matter of national security.

  • For the first time in their lives, they get to watch their children grow up in an environment of safety and security.

  • His stories, his voice, gave me a sense of security in an otherwise confusing world.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Americans living in fear for their security are looking to moderate, traditional Muslims to lead this fight.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Since 2003, Iraq has been destabilized under the American occupation, and domestic security has not been restored.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

safety
vssecurity
1.0

A place or condition that protects you from danger

stresses the personal sense of being worry free rather than just external protection
safeness
vssecurity
1 1.8

Being free from danger or risk

adds the personal feeling of safety and relief from worry to that state
secureness
vssecurity
5.8

Feeling safe and free from danger

highlights the same inner feeling but includes freedom from worry and threat

Antonyms

1.0

A chance that people or things will be harmed

31 3.6

A lack of safety that makes people or places open to danger

Compounds

370 3.7

A group in the United Nations that works to keep peace between countries

325 2.8

A United States government program that gives money to people who are retired, disabled, or unemployed

210 1.3

A person who watches and protects a building or people to stop stealing and trouble

A group of people hired by a company to protect its buildings and goods

Homeland Security
  • Literature
61 3.7

A United States government department that protects the country from threats inside its borders

A set of devices like cameras and sensors that warn about intruders

Actions and devices that stop people from spying, stealing, or damaging property

A government group that advises the leader about national security, foreign policy, the military, and intelligence agencies

A number the United States gives to people to show who they are, pay taxes, and get government benefits

security deposit
  • Specialized
15 3.4

Money paid in advance to a landlord or company as a promise you will keep the agreement

11 7.2

An investment made from many home loans that pays interest and loan repayments to investors sometimes backed by the government

8 6.7

A legal right on property that helps a lender get paid

A United States government agency that gives retirement, disability, and survivor benefits

Many guards and strict checks protect people or places

A group of employees who protect people, property and information from theft and damage

A person who advises businesses or homes on protecting buildings and property, for example with alarms and cameras

security measure
  • Specialized
4 3.1

A rule or tool that protects computers and data from access without permission

A United States government agency that keeps airports and air travel safe

security system
  • Specialized
4 3.5

A set of programs and rules that control access to computer networks

A US government agency that protects secret information and gathers foreign intelligence

A U.S. government department that protects the country from threats and manages national security

security blanket
  • Informal
3 3.6

An object or habit a person uses to feel calm when nervous

A team in a company that protects workers, buildings, and things

3 3.5

A government agency in the United Kingdom that protects the country from spies and other internal threats

collective security
  • Specialized
2 5.0

A system where countries agree to defend each other to keep peace

A person who protects a company's people and things

2 3.8

Authorities protect people in public places to stop crime and disorder

government security
  • Specialized
1 4.0

A bond or note that a government sells to borrow money

A device or method that detects break-ins and sounds an alarm

A group of guards a company or person hires to protect people and property

security consultant
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A person who advises companies on protecting computers and data from hackers and attacks

The main agency in Russia that handles security inside the country and spying

convertible security
  • Specialized
1 8.3

An investment like a bond or preferred share that you can change into the company's common stock under certain conditions

security blanket
  • Baby Talk
1 3.2

A soft blanket or toy a child carries for comfort

1 4.9

A check of emails and documents that stops secret information reaching people who must not see it

security intelligence
  • Specialized
1 4.4

Information about dangerous people or groups used to prevent attacks

A part of the US State Department that protects American diplomats, embassies, and secret information abroad

A government body that gathers and reports information to protect Canada

A Canadian government agency that gathers information from communications and helps protect Canada from spying and cyber attacks

The Soviet Union's main secret police and intelligence agency

agency security
  • Specialized
6.7

An investment sold by a United States government agency or the Farm Credit System

The main Russian agency that deals with security and spying inside the country

letter security
  • Specialized
9.4

A stock or bond not registered with the government that cannot be sold in public markets

listed security
  • Specialized
6.0

A stock or bond officially allowed to trade on a stock exchange

registered security
  • Specialized
7.4

A stock or bond whose owner's name is kept on the company's list

OTC security
  • Specialized
7.7

A stock or bond traded outside a stock exchange

6.7

An investment like a stock or bond traded directly through dealers, not on a stock market

security intelligence
  • Specialized
4.1

Information about online threats and what attackers do used to stop cyber attacks

security review
  • Specialized
4.0

A careful check of a computer system, code, or design that finds security problems and suggests fixes

A Canadian independent group that checks the security service to make sure it follows the law and protects people's rights

tax-exempt security
  • Specialized
6.5

A bond or note whose interest income is not taxed

unlisted security
  • Specialized
8.1

An investment not listed on a stock market that is sold privately or over the counter

zero coupon security
  • Specialized
7.8

A bond sold at a large discount that pays no regular interest and repays full value at maturity

zero-coupon security
  • Specialized
9.0

A bond sold for less than its value that pays no interest and gives the full amount when it ends

How Secure

safety
1.0
security
408 2.4
unease
19 4.4
insecurity
31 3.6

Surface Forms

security singular
securities plural

Morphology

security = secure (transparent) = secure + ity

A straightforward abstract noun formation from the adjective 'secure' meaning the state or feeling of being safe.

Etymology

Security comes from the old Latin word securus ('without care') and is related to the words secure and sure, so it helps you remember that security is the feeling of being safe and free from worry. That's why we use the word for a sense of safety or protection.