confide

verb

con·​fide kən-ˈfīd 

confided; confiding

intransitive verb

1

: to have confidence : trust

We cannot confide wholly in our own powers.

2

: to show confidence by imparting secrets

confide in a friend

transitive verb

1

: to tell confidentially

He dared not confide the secret to his family.

2

: to give to the care or protection of another : entrust

… do not confide your children to strangers.

—Mavis Gallant

confider noun

Synonyms

• commend
• commit
• consign
• delegate
• deliver
• entrust
• intrust
• give
• give over
• hand
• hand over
• leave
• pass
• recommend
• repose
• transfer
• transmit
• trust
• turn over
• vest

Choose the Right Synonym for confide

commit, entrust, confide, consign, relegate mean to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose.

commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

Examples of confide in a Sentence

He confided that he was very unhappy with his job.

the local SPCA was looking for homes for a number of exotic animals confided to its care

Recent Examples on the Web

No bombs threats, no shooting and shouting, but a tender moment at Stabler's late wife's grave, in which the infamous tough guy tenderly confides his excitement that their son Eli (Nicky Torchia) will soon become a father. —EW.com, 26 Feb. 2025

Over the years, actors have confided that preparing to play Hamlet is like training for the Olympics. —Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2025

So his warm, garrulous letters to her must have been hugely flattering, as if a reporter today received a string of confiding e-mails from Bruce Springsteen. —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

One of the people in whom Palmer confided about her marital issues at the time was Caroline, a potter who, along with her builder husband, Phillip, had been living on the Woodstock property and working as a caretaker. —Lila Shapiro, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

early Scots, borrowed from Latin confīdere "to put trust in, have confidence in," from con- con- + fīdere "to trust (in), rely (on)" going back to Indo-European *b^hei̯d^h- "trust, entrust" — more at faith entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing confide

• confide in

Rhymes for confide

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied

Kids Definition

confide

verb

con·​fide kən-ˈfīd 

confided; confiding

1

: to have confidence : trust

confide in a doctor's skill

2

: to show confidence by telling secrets

confided in her mother

3

: to tell in confidence

confide a secret to a friend

4

: entrust sense 1

confide one's safety to the police

confider noun

Etymology

Middle English confiden "to confide, trust," from early French confider or Latin confidere (both, same meaning), from Latin con-, com- "with, together" and fidere "to trust" — related to faith