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Ensure vs. assure: what’s the difference?

The short answer

The word ensure means to make certain that something will occur. It is typically used in contexts where actions are taken to guarantee an outcome. Assure means to remove doubts or give someone confidence about something, often used in a more personal or emotional context to comfort or promise someone.

What they have in common

Both ensure and assure are verbs and relate to providing confidence or guarantees about something.

Examples

ensure

  • Lock the door to ensure security.
  • We need to ensure timely delivery of the package.

assure

  • I assure you that the project will be completed on time.
  • He assured her that everything would be fine.

Which one is more common?

Internet search results for “ensure” and “assure”

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