apparent security
[/əˈpærənt sɪˈkjʊrɪti/]
nounpl: apparent securities
segurança aparente
1. A state of safety or protection that appears to exist but may not be genuine or reliable; a false sense of security that lacks substantive foundation
The gated community provided only apparent security while crime rates continued to rise in surrounding areas.
A comunidade fechada proporcionava apenas segurança aparente enquanto as taxas de criminalidade continuavam subindo nas áreas circunvizinhas.
2. In legal or financial contexts, security that seems adequate on the surface but fails to provide actual protection against loss or liability
The insurance policy offered apparent security but contained numerous exclusions that left homeowners vulnerable.
A apólice de seguro oferecia segurança aparente, mas continha numerosas exclusões que deixavam os proprietários vulneráveis.
3. A deceptive sense of stability or certainty that may collapse under scrutiny or adverse conditions
His apparent security as a government employee vanished when budget cuts led to mass layoffs.
Sua segurança aparente como funcionário público desapareceu quando cortes orçamentários levaram a demissões em massa.
In Brazil, the concept of 'apparent security' is particularly relevant in discussions about urban safety, gated communities (condomínios fechados), and financial investments. Many Brazilians relate to this term when discussing the contrast between visible security measures and actual crime rates in neighborhoods. In the USA, the phrase commonly appears in safety discourse, insurance reviews, and critiques of government policies that appear protective but lack substantive safeguards.
NYC Slang
fool's gold sense of safety; looking good on paper but not really solid
Related Idioms & Phrases
a false sense of security
security that crumbles under pressure
a house of cards in terms of safety
safe on the surface but rotten underneath
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