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unsure
/ʌnˈʃʊər/
uncertain
She was unsure about the decision.
She lacked confidence in making the choice.
neutral
not certain or confident about something
I'm unsure if I should go to the party tonight.
I lack confidence about whether I should attend the party.
He seemed unsure of his own abilities.
He appeared uncertain about his skills.
Used to express hesitation or lack of conviction. Often followed by 'about' or 'of'.
Collocations
unsure aboutlacking confidence in a specific topic or decisionunsure of oneselflacking self-confidence
Pro Tip
Collocation Tip
Use 'unsure about' for topics (e.g., 'unsure about the rules') and 'unsure of' for abilities or oneself (e.g., 'unsure of herself').
Gold Rule
Grammar Rule
Follow 'unsure' with 'about' + noun phrase or 'of' + noun/pronoun. Avoid using it with 'if' clauses directly (use 'unsure whether' instead).
Word Origin
From Middle English 'unsiker', from Old English 'unsēcere' (not safe), equivalent to 'un-' (not) + 'sure' (from Old French 'seur', from Latin 'securus' meaning 'secure').
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both spoken and written English to express uncertainty. The phrase 'unsure about' is more frequent than 'unsure of' in modern usage.
Word Breakdown
un-
prefix meaning 'not'
prefixsure
certain or confident
rootEnglish Dictionary