to ensure

English translation: They're synonyms...

11:23 Oct 23, 2001

English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary

English term or phrase: to ensure

what's the difference in meaning between the verb to ensure and the verb to assure?

costanza_p

Selected answer:They're synonyms...

Explanation:
Ensure and assure have the same basic meaning- to make safe or certain... The only difference between the two is that \"assure\" is often used to instill confidence.

For example:

I will ensure that the papers are delivered to you tomorrow by noon.
*In this case \"I will ensure\" means, I\'m taking care of this, it\'s my responsibility, I will make certain that this will happen.

I assure you that the the papers will be on your desk tomorrow by noon.
*In this case \"I assure you\" means I\'m giving you my word, trust me, feel at ease because I\'ve got everything under control.

Hope these examples help!!!
:)

Selected response from:

AngelaMR

Grading comment

thanks!

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +3

They're synonyms...

AngelaMR

Here's a selection from Webster's explaining the differences...

AngelaMR

to make sure or certain

Fuad Yahya

to ensure 'something' and to assure 'someone'

Mona Helal

Answers

15 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

They're synonyms...

AngelaMR

Grading comment

thanks!

18 mins confidence:

Here's a selection from Webster's explaining the differences...

Explanation:
ENSURE, INSURE, and ASSURE are interchangeable in many contexts where they indicate the making certain or inevitable of an outcome, but INSURE sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand, and ASSURE distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind. SECURE implies action taken to guard against attack or loss.

Reference: http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

AngelaMR

19 mins confidence:

to make sure or certain

Explanation:
To ensure: to make sure or certain (also spelled "insure," although common usage tends to restrict "insure" to the sense of "providing insurance").

To assure (someone): to inform positively, as to remove doubt, to cause to feel sure.

This distinction applies to the most common usages of these terms, but the term "assure" has many other usages that are not very commonly used today. Some of these usages overlap with "ensure".

Fuad

American Heritage Dictionary

Fuad Yahya
Native speaker of:

Arabic,

English
PRO pts in pair: 893

12 hrs confidence:

to ensure 'something' and to assure 'someone'

Explanation:
This is another difference between ensure and assure:

You can say:
I will ensure that the package - 'or something' - will be delivered on Monday afternoon.

But you can't say:
I will ensure my boss - 'or someone' - that the package will be delivered on Monday afternoon.

In the latter you can only say:
I will assure my boss that the ... etc.

If you say:
I will ensure my son, ie 'someone', in this case: you'd mean that you are taking out an insurence for him.

HTH

Mona Helal
Local time: 03:27
Native speaker of:

Arabic,

English

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