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unsecured

/ʌn.sɪˈkjʊərd/
adjective★Intermediate
💰Finance
formal

Not protected by a guarantee or collateral

An unsecured loan is based solely on the borrower's creditworthiness.

This type of loan doesn't require pledging assets as security.

💡

Common in personal loans, credit cards, and some business financing.

⚖️Law
formal

Not protected by legal or physical safeguards

The witness provided unsecured testimony without legal protection.

This means the testimony wasn't guaranteed confidentiality or immunity.

💡

Used in legal contexts where protection measures are absent.

Collocations

unsecured loana loan without collateralunsecured debtdebt not backed by assets

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

secured loanphrase
a loan backed by collateral
unsecured creditorphrase
a creditor with no collateral

💡Pro Tip

Financial Context

In finance, 'unsecured' typically means no collateral is required, but interest rates may be higher due to increased risk.

⚡Gold Rule

Legal vs. Financial Use

In legal contexts, 'unsecured' refers to lack of protection, while in finance it refers to lack of collateral.

📖Word Origin

From 'un-' (not) + 'secured' (protected or guaranteed)

📝Usage Notes

Primarily used in financial contexts to describe loans or debts without collateral. In legal contexts, it refers to information or agreements lacking formal protection.

Word Breakdown

un-
not
prefix
+
secured
protected or guaranteed
root
English Dictionary

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