insure vs. ensure
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Heh. That's a fuzzy one. Both are verbs, "ensure" means to assure, make secure or safe from harm, "insure" means the same, but I think it's more specific to insurance--as in, a guarantee against loss. (Clear as mud, huh?)
I use "ensure" unless I'm talking about financial assurance. I sure hope someone else can explain this more clearly!
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I use "ensure" unless I'm talking about financial assurance. I sure hope someone else can explain this more clearly!
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I agree that the words are very similar and while I've not been able to tease apart any definitive distinctions from basic dictionary definitions, I don't think the words are totally interchangeable.
To me "ensure" it means to nail something down, to "make sure" that it's solidly there, that it's true and is going to stay true.
To "insure" implies hedging your bets and creating a backup plan in case something unexpected happens. You buy "insurance" not "ensurance".
"Assure" is very close to "insure", but it's not creating anything, its supporting the existing facts or the infrastructure surrounding the issue.
Hope that helps!
Miranda
To me "ensure" it means to nail something down, to "make sure" that it's solidly there, that it's true and is going to stay true.
To "insure" implies hedging your bets and creating a backup plan in case something unexpected happens. You buy "insurance" not "ensurance".
"Assure" is very close to "insure", but it's not creating anything, its supporting the existing facts or the infrastructure surrounding the issue.
Hope that helps!
Miranda
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Yes! I've noticed that as well. When I was working, I'd often have reason to write "ensure" and the secretary in our office would "correct" my writing and type "insure. " Drove me nuts. I think "ensure" is maybe an older word that is being replaced in usage by insure?
Originally Posted by ShannonCC Lately I've been seeing "insure" used more and more in places I would use "ensure". |
Joan, kindof like use is being replaced by utilize. I use ensure when I describing a personal reponsibility. As in I will ensure that is done. I mean doing it myself or personally overseeing it being done. I use insure when I mean I'll check to make sure it was done.
However, that may have not a thing in the world to do with what the rules are.
PhD in English dp thought it was an interesting question, but didn't know a rule (or anything).
MM
However, that may have not a thing in the world to do with what the rules are.
PhD in English dp thought it was an interesting question, but didn't know a rule (or anything).
MM
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Buy this book --
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/046...755927?ie=UTF8
As a writer I find it essential. But it is a good resource for anyone!
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/046...755927?ie=UTF8
As a writer I find it essential. But it is a good resource for anyone!
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I actually have a copy!
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It says,
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It only took one day and five people to sort that out.
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Any other problems we can solve for you, Shannon?
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Originally Posted by boatbaby Buy this book -- |
I actually have a copy!
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| Use ensure to mean guarantee: Steps were taken to ensure accuracy. Use insure for references to insurance: The policy insures his life. |
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Why yes
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Can you get me more money, get my kids to stop driving me up a wall and stop me from craving junk food? How many days and people would all *that* take
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Seriously though, it seems to me then that all the places I'm seeing "insure" lately are incorrect and I'm actually right in the way I'm using it. Ok, I'm good with that
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Originally Posted by Joan It only took one day and five people to sort that out.
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Seriously though, it seems to me then that all the places I'm seeing "insure" lately are incorrect and I'm actually right in the way I'm using it. Ok, I'm good with that
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This page has a link to a brief discussion of this issue, along with a lot of other interesting "which is correct?" kind of topics.
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
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Oooo, this one I know.
"Ensure" means to make sure something happens. "Insure" means to back up a risk with another plan. "Assure" means to tell someone that something will indeed work. So, for example, I can insure that I will not hit the ground by using a net. Or I can sit with my kids to ensure that they will do their homework--I can assure you that this will help.
Ensure has become a business cliche; I am a freelance editor and I find it being WAY overused in almost all business literature. There's no reason to be afraid of insure or assure if you're using it properly (just remember insure = hedging a risk and assure connotes telling someone something). I'd honestly rather see these other two used than the total overkill of ensure.
"Ensure" means to make sure something happens. "Insure" means to back up a risk with another plan. "Assure" means to tell someone that something will indeed work. So, for example, I can insure that I will not hit the ground by using a net. Or I can sit with my kids to ensure that they will do their homework--I can assure you that this will help.
Ensure has become a business cliche; I am a freelance editor and I find it being WAY overused in almost all business literature. There's no reason to be afraid of insure or assure if you're using it properly (just remember insure = hedging a risk and assure connotes telling someone something). I'd honestly rather see these other two used than the total overkill of ensure.
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