When you're reassured, someone has helped calm your worries or doubts by offering comfort, information, or promises. If you're nervous about an upcoming spelling bee and your teacher reassures you by reminding you how well you've prepared, that reassurance helps settle your anxious feelings.

To reassure someone means to restore their confidence or peace of mind. A doctor might reassure a patient that a small cut will heal just fine. A parent might reassure a child afraid of thunderstorms by explaining what causes them and staying close during the storm.

Sometimes people need reassurance even when everything's actually fine. Before a big performance, you might need your friend to reassure you that you know your lines, even though you've practiced them a hundred times. That reassuring voice helps you remember what you already knew but temporarily forgot because of nervousness.

The opposite feeling is being anxious or uncertain, when worries keep spinning in your mind. Reassurance is like a steady hand on your shoulder, reminding you that things will work out.