5 syllables: in, sec, ur, i, ty. Stress on ur.
in-sik-YUUR-it-ee
/ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊɹɪti/
insecurity is pronounced in-sik-YUUR-it-ee (/ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊɹɪti/). It has five syllables (in-sec-ur-i-ty), with the stress on "ur". Insecurity refers to a lack of confidence or assurance, often accompanied by doubt about oneself or one's circumstances. It can describe feelings of vulnerability or exposure to perceived threats. In psychology and everyday speech, it denotes an ongoing condition rather than a single momentary fear, shaping behavior, choices, and interactions.
Insecurity refers to a lack of confidence or assurance, often accompanied by doubt about oneself or one's circumstances. It can describe feelings of vulnerability or exposure to perceived threats. In psychology and everyday speech, it denotes an ongoing condition rather than a single momentary fear, shaping behavior, choices, and interactions.
"Her insecurity about her appearance affected her willingness to try new activities."
"The company faced financial insecurity after the market downturn."
"He spoke with visible insecurity, avoiding eye contact and fidgeting."
Pronounced in-suh-KYUR-uh-tee with primary stress on the second syllable: /ɪnˈsɪkjʊərəti/ in US, /ˌɪn.sɪˈkjʊə.rə.ti/ in UK, and /ˌɪn.sɪˈkjʊə.ɹə.ti/ in Australian speech. Break it into four segments: ɪn- (unstressed) + ˈsɪk- (secondary syllable onset) + jʊə- (approximating “kyoo-uh”) + rə-ti (unstressed ending). Keep the lips relaxed for the first vowel, then compress the mid-high front vowel before the rhotacized US vowel in the second syllable. End with a light, quick -ti.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (placing primary stress on the first or third syllable), pronouncing the /j/ as a hard ‘y’ or splitting the /kj/ cluster too slowly, and reducing the final -ty too aggressively to -ti, which can sound clipped. Correct these by rehearsing the four-syllable rhythm: in-SI-kyoo-ru-tee, ensure the /ˈsɪk/ cluster is tight, and keep the final -ti as a light, unstressed syllable rather than a full t-i sequence.
US tends to have a stronger /ɪ/ in the first vowel and a rhotic /r/ in the second half if followed by a vowel sound, giving /ɪnˈsɪkjʊərəti/. UK often features a slightly more clipped /ə/ in the final syllables and may flatten rhotics, yielding /ˌɪn.sɪˈkjʊə.rə.ti/. Australian tends to have vowel purity near /ɪ/ and a less aggressive /r/ in non-rhotic positions, typically /ˌɪn.sɪˈkjʊə.ɹə.ti/ but often with a softer /ɹ/ depending on speaker.
Its difficulty comes from the four-syllable rhythm with a secondary stress on the second syllable and a consonant cluster around /kj/ that yields a palatalization effect: /sɪk/ then /jʊə/. The sequence / kj/ demands precise tongue positioning—palatalization that isn’t common in many languages. Additionally, the ending -ty reduces in casual speech, so listeners must preserve the /ti/ to signal the final syllable distinctly. Practice with slow enunciation to master the transition from /kj/ to /ə/.
No, insecurity is pronounced with all letters voiced or at least audible; there are no silent letters in standard pronunciation. The two most important features are the stress on the second syllable and the clear articulation of the /kj/ palatalized cluster and the final unstressed -ti, which requires a light touch rather than a full alveolar stop.
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US: Rhotic authenticity matters; ensure the /ɹ/ is present when the following vowel is pronounced (in careful speech). UK: Non-rhotic tendency, so /ɹ/ is weaker or dropped before a consonant; final -ti remains nuanced rather than fully pronounced. AU: Often a blend with a softer /ɹ/; vowels tend toward clearer mid-front vowels. Pay attention to the second syllable: /ˈsɪk/ with a palatalized /kj/, which remains consistent across accents. Use IPA to monitor subtle vowel shifts: /ɪ/→/ɪ/; /ə/ can approach a schwa or a reduced vowel depending on context.
Insecurity derives from Middle English insecuren, combining in- (not) with securen (to make secure), from Old French securite (security) and Latin securitas (safety, security). The root secur- originates from Latin securus meaning free from care, secure, and carefree. The transition from Latin into Old French and then English involved the abstract noun securitas becoming insecurity with the prefix in- indicating negation. The first known uses in English appear in the late 15th to early 16th centuries, originally aligning with notions of lack of safety or certainty. Over time, insecurity broadened from concrete threats to a psychological sense of self-doubt and vulnerability, permeating discussions of personal confidence, social status, physical safety, and mental health. In modern usage, insecurity often carries connotations of ongoing, internalized doubt rather than a temporary fear, and is frequently examined in clinical, sociological, and literary contexts. The word has maintained its core sense of lacking security while expanding to describe both internal states and external conditions that provoke uncertainty.
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Words that rhyme with "insecurity"
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