reassure
ree-uh-SHOOR
/ˌriːəˈʃʊər/
To say or do something to remove doubts and fears, restoring someone's confidence or peace of mind.
Requires an active effort to restore trust or relieve anxiety that already exists.
The story behind the word. Combines French/Latin elements to mean 'to make secure again.' It is the act of returning someone to a state of mental safety after anxiety has disrupted it.
Word relationships
- console: Console is comfort given during grief, while reassure is restoring confidence against doubt or fear.
- placate: Placate means to appease anger, whereas reassure means to alleviate worry.
- alarm: Alarm means to excite fear or sudden apprehension.
- unnerve: Unnerve means to deprive of courage or confidence.
Commonly confused with
- ensure: Ensure means to make certain an outcome happens; reassure means to comfort a person's mind.
Word family
- reassurance (noun): The action of comforting someone or giving them confidence.
- reassuring (adjective): Serving to restore confidence or remove fear.
- reassuringly (adverb): In a way that restores confidence.
Collocations
- reassure the public
- seek to reassure
- reassure doubting investors
- swiftly reassure
Idioms & expressions
- put someone's mind at ease
- soothe frayed nerves
Example sentences
- "The physician took time to reassure the patient before the surgical procedure began." Healthcare / Communication
- "The government sought to reassure citizens that food supplies were secure." Public Address
Memory hook
RE-ASSURE = make SURE AGAIN that everything is fine. Make them feel secure again.
When not to use
Do not use if someone is already calm; reassure specifically acts against doubt or fear.
Fun facts
- In modern psychology, 'excessive reassurance seeking' is a recognized symptom in anxiety research.
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