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Assure, ensure, or insure
They sound almost alike: assure removes someone's doubt, ensure makes sure something happens, and insure covers something with insurance.
Quick rule
Calming someone's doubt? Assure. Making sure something happens? Ensure. Covering it with insurance? Insure.
To tell someone something is true so they stop worrying. The person comes next: I assure you it's safe.
To make sure something happens or is certain: ensure that everyone is safe.
To buy or sell insurance for something: insure your car.
How to choose
| Question | assure | ensure | insure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Are you removing a person's doubt? | Yes | No | No |
| Are you making sure something happens? | No | Yes | SometimesSometimes |
| Is there an insurance policy involved? | No | No | Yes |
Why it trips people up
Ensure and insure are pronounced the same, and assure differs only in its first syllable. Insure even began as a variant of ensure. What matters is the object: a person's mind (assure), an outcome (ensure), or property covered by a policy (insure).
How they sound
Ensure and insure are both /ɪnˈʃʊr/ in American English (British /ɪnˈʃʊə(r)/ or /ɪnˈʃɔː(r)/); assure is /əˈʃʊr/.
- assure/əˈʃʊr/
- ensure/ɪnˈʃʊr/
- insure/ɪnˈʃʊr/
How each one works
Assure
Removing a doubt
I assure you the food is fresh.
Assure + person + that
The pilot assured us that there was no danger.
Assure + person + of
They assured her of their support.
Ensure
Making sure something is done
Please ensure all windows are closed.
Guaranteeing a result
Exercise helps ensure good health.
Ensure + that
The teacher ensured that every student had a book.
Insure
Buying insurance
You should insure your new phone.
Insure + against
The house is insured against fire.
Insure + for + amount
The ring is insured for $5,000.
Common mistakes
Wrong: I can ensure you that your data is safe.
Right: I can assure you that your data is safe.
When the person comes next and you are removing their doubt, use assure.
Wrong: Rest insured, we will call you.
Right: Rest assured, we will call you.
The set phrase is rest assured: you are telling someone not to worry.
Memory trick
Assure is said to a person: assure you. Insure has the in of insurance. Ensure is the one left: making something happen.
It depends
- Insure meaning ensure
- Oxford lists insure as a mainly North American spelling of ensure (insure that it works), so it isn't wrong in the US. Ensure works in every variety.
FAQ
Ensure or insure: which is correct?
For making sure something happens, ensure is correct everywhere; in the US, insure is also accepted. For insurance policies, only insure.
Assure or ensure: which is correct?
Assure if you are speaking to someone to remove a doubt (I assure you). Ensure if you mean making something certain (ensure quality).