Secure vs. Secured — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 26, 2024
Secure is an adjective describing something safe from threat, whereas secured is a verb or adjective indicating something has been made safe.
Difference Between Secure and Secured
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The term "secure" primarily functions as an adjective, suggesting a state of being free from danger or threat. It conveys safety and stability, whether referring to a location, a transaction, or digital information. On the other hand, "secured" can serve as both the past tense of the verb "secure" and as an adjective. As a verb, it denotes the action of making something secure, such as securing a loan or a perimeter. When used as an adjective, it describes something that has been made secure, highlighting that an action has been taken to ensure safety or stability.
In contexts where protection or safety is a priority, "secure" implies inherent safety features or conditions that naturally prevent harm or risk. For instance, a secure network inherently possesses safeguards against unauthorized access. Conversely, "secured" emphasizes the measures taken to achieve a state of security. A secured loan, for example, has collateral attached, showing that specific steps have been taken to ensure repayment.
"Secure" often suggests a general condition or capability of being safe without indicating whether any specific action was taken to achieve this state. It can apply to a broad range of situations, from physical security to emotional stability. "Secured," however, always points to the outcome of an action—something has been done to make an item, area, or situation safe.
Understanding the subtle distinction between these terms is crucial for accurate communication, especially in legal, financial, and technological contexts. Using "secure" when the inherent safety of something is being described, or "secured" when emphasizing the actions taken to ensure safety, helps clarify the intended meaning.
Despite their differences, both terms contribute to the overall concept of safety and protection. Recognizing when to use each can enhance clarity and precision in both spoken and written communication, ensuring that the listener or reader accurately understands the security status of the subject in question.
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Comparison Chart
Function
Adjective (primarily)
Verb (past tense) and adjective
Indicates
A state of being safe
Action taken to make something safe
Usage Context
General safety or stability
Specific actions for safety
Example
Secure connection
Secured loan
Focus
Inherent safety features
Measures taken to achieve safety
Compare with Definitions
Secure
Free from danger or threat.
The documents are stored in a secure location.
Secured
Fastened so as not to give way.
All valuables were secured in the safe before the storm hit.
Secure
Firmly fixed; not likely to give way.
Make sure the ladder is secure before climbing.
Secured
Made safe or secured.
The perimeter has been secured with fencing.
Secure
Feeling confident and free from fear or anxiety.
The new policy made employees feel secure in their jobs.
Secured
Guaranteed by collateral.
He obtained a secured loan using his property as collateral.
Secure
Certain to remain safe and unthreatened.
With advanced encryption, online payments are more secure.
Secured
Obtained or achieved after effort.
After months of negotiations, the agreement was finally secured.
Secure
Reliable; not subject to doubt.
She has a secure grasp of the subject matter.
Secured
Protected against attack or other criminal activity.
The team secured the data against potential breaches.
Secure
Free from danger or attack
A secure fortress.
Secured
Free from danger or attack
A secure fortress.
Secure
Free from risk of loss; safe
Her papers were secure in the vault.
Secured
Free from risk of loss; safe
Her papers were secure in the vault.
Secure
Free from the risk of being intercepted or listened to by unauthorized persons
Only one telephone line in the embassy was secure.
Secured
Free from the risk of being intercepted or listened to by unauthorized persons
Only one telephone line in the embassy was secure.
Secure
Free from fear, anxiety, or doubt
Felt secure in his old job.
Secured
Free from fear, anxiety, or doubt
Felt secure in his old job.
Secure
Not likely to fail or give way; stable
A secure stepladder.
Secured
Not likely to fail or give way; stable
A secure stepladder.
Secure
Firmly fastened
A secure lock.
Secured
Firmly fastened
A secure lock.
Secure
Reliable; dependable
Secure investments.
Secured
Reliable; dependable
Secure investments.
Secure
Assured; certain
With three goals in the first period they had a secure victory, but somehow they lost.
Secured
Assured; certain
With three goals in the first period they had a secure victory, but somehow they lost.
Secure
(Archaic) Careless or overconfident.
Secured
(Archaic) Careless or overconfident.
Secure
To guard from danger or risk of loss
The troops secured the area before the civilians were allowed to return.
Secured
To guard from danger or risk of loss
The troops secured the area before the civilians were allowed to return.
Secure
To make firm or tight; fasten.
Secured
To make firm or tight; fasten.
Secure
To make certain; ensure
The speaker could not secure the goodwill of the audience.
Secured
To make certain; ensure
The speaker could not secure the goodwill of the audience.
Secure
To guarantee payment of (a loan, for example).
Secured
To guarantee payment of (a loan, for example).
Secure
To guarantee payment to (a creditor).
Secured
To guarantee payment to (a creditor).
Secure
To get possession of; acquire
Secured a job.
Secured
To get possession of; acquire
Secured a job.
Secure
To capture or confine
They secured the suspect in the squad car.
Secured
To capture or confine
They secured the suspect in the squad car.
Secure
To bring about; effect
Secured release of the hostages.
Secured
To bring about; effect
Secured release of the hostages.
Secure
To protect or ensure the privacy or secrecy of (a telephone line, for example).
Secured
To protect or ensure the privacy or secrecy of (a telephone line, for example).
Secure
Free from attack or danger; protected.
Secured
Simple past tense and past participle of secure
Secure
Free from the danger of theft; safe.
Secured
Firmly fastened or secured against opening;
Windows and doors were all fast
A locked closet
Left the house properly secured
Secure
Free from the risk of eavesdropping, interception or discovery; secret.
Secured
Secured by written agreement
Secure
Free from anxiety or doubt; unafraid.
Secure
Firm and not likely to fail; stable.
Secure
Free from the risk of financial loss; reliable.
Secure
Confident in opinion; not entertaining, or not having reason to entertain, doubt; certain; sure; commonly used with of.
Secure of a welcome
Secure
(obsolete) Overconfident; incautious; careless.
Secure
Certain to be achieved or gained; assured.
Just when victory seemed secure, they let it slip from their grasp.
Secure
To make safe; to relieve from apprehensions of, or exposure to, danger; to guard; to protect.
Secure
To put beyond hazard of losing or of not receiving; to make certain; to assure; frequently with against or from, or formerly with of.
To secure a creditor against loss; to secure a debt by a mortgage
Secure
To make fast; to close or confine effectually; to render incapable of getting loose or escaping.
To secure a prisoner; to secure a door, or the hatches of a ship
Secure
To get possession of; to make oneself secure of; to acquire certainly.
To secure an estate
Secure
To plight or pledge.
Secure
Free from fear, care, or anxiety; easy in mind; not feeling suspicion or distrust; confident.
But thou, secure of soul, unbent with woes.
Secure
Overconfident; incautious; careless; - in a bad sense.
Secure
Confident in opinion; not entertaining, or not having reason to entertain, doubt; certain; sure; - commonly with of; as, secure of a welcome.
Confidence then bore thee on, secureEither to meet no danger, or to findMatter of glorious trial.
Secure
Not exposed to danger; safe; - applied to persons and things, and followed by against or from.
Secure
To make safe; to relieve from apprehensions of, or exposure to, danger; to guard; to protect.
I spread a cloud before the victor's sight,Sustained the vanquished, and secured his flight.
Secure
To put beyond hazard of losing or of not receiving; to make certain; to assure; to insure; - frequently with against or from, rarely with of; as, to secure a creditor against loss; to secure a debt by a mortgage.
It secures its possessor of eternal happiness.
Secure
To make fast; to close or confine effectually; to render incapable of getting loose or escaping; as, to secure a prisoner; to secure a door, or the hatches of a ship.
Secure
To get possession of; to make one's self secure of; to acquire certainly; as, to secure an estate.
Secure
Get by special effort;
He procured extra cigarettes even though they were rationed
Secure
Cause to be firmly attached;
Fasten the lock onto the door
She fixed her gaze on the man
Secure
Assure payment of
Secure
Make certain of;
This nest egg will ensure a nice retirement for us
Preparation will guarantee success!
Secure
Fill or close tightly with or as if with a plug;
Plug the hole
Stop up the leak
Secure
Furnish with battens;
Batten ships
Secure
Free from fear or doubt; easy in mind;
Secure himself, he went out of his way to help others
Secure
Free from danger or risk;
Secure from harm
His fortune was secure
Made a secure place for himself in his field
Secure
Kept safe or defended from danger or injury or loss;
The most protected spot I could find
Secure
Not likely to fail or give way;
The lock was secure
A secure foundation
A secure hold on her wrist
Secure
Able to withstand attack;
An impregnable fortress
Fortifications that made the frontier inviolable
Secure
Financially sound;
A good investment
A secure investment
Common Curiosities
What does it mean when a loan is secured?
A loan is secured when it has collateral backing it up, ensuring repayment or forfeiture of the collateral.
What does it mean for a location to be secure?
A location being secure means it is safe from danger or unauthorized access, often through inherent safety features.
What's the difference between feeling secure and being secured?
Feeling secure relates to emotional confidence or safety, whereas being secured implies that specific actions have been taken to ensure physical or financial safety.
Can an object be secure without being secured?
Yes, an object can be secure if it naturally exists in a state of safety, without needing specific actions to make it safe.
How do I use 'secured' in a sentence?
"The company secured a patent for its invention, ensuring exclusive rights."
Is it better to say a building is secure or secured?
If emphasizing the building's inherent safety features, "secure" is suitable; if highlighting the actions taken to ensure safety, "secured" is more appropriate.
Can a person feel secured?
Typically, people feel "secure" in terms of emotional stability, though "secured" can be used metaphorically to describe someone who has taken measures to ensure their personal safety or financial stability.
How does securing a loan work?
Securing a loan involves providing collateral that the lender can claim if the loan is not repaid according to the agreement.
Is a secure network inherently safe?
Yes, a secure network is designed to be safe from unauthorized access or cyber threats through built-in security measures.
Is 'secure' or 'secured' more appropriate for describing data protection?
"Secure" is generally used for inherent data protection features, while "secured" emphasizes the actions taken to protect the data.
Can a feeling of security be secured?
Yes, a feeling of security can be achieved (or secured) through actions that build confidence in safety or stability.
What is a secured area?
A secured area is a location that has been made safe through the implementation of security measures or restrictions.
How can I make my information more secure or secured?
Making information more secure involves implementing safety measures. When specific actions are taken to protect information, it is then considered secured.
What does it mean to secure a position?
To secure a position means to obtain it, often through effort or competition.
What makes a system secure?
A system is considered secure if it has reliable safeguards against unauthorized access or cyber threats.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
