Synonym Chooser

How is the word confide distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of confide are commit, consign, entrust, and relegate. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

When is commit a more appropriate choice than confide?

While in some cases nearly identical to confide, 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

When could consign be used to replace confide?

While the synonyms consign and confide are close in meaning, consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

Where would entrust be a reasonable alternative to confide?

In some situations, the words entrust and confide are roughly equivalent. However, entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

When would relegate be a good substitute for confide?

The words relegate and confide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confide Celebrity esthetician Joanna Czech has confided her fandom to Vogue. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2025 While there, Harper overhears crucial news in the bathroom, where Sweet Pea is confiding to Yasmin that her web of new grad connections throughout the bank has led her to believe that Pierpoint has taken an outsized bet on ESG funds. Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2024 Earlier in 2024, a teenager in Florida was an avid user of roleplaying chatbots and confided thoughts of self-harm to the AI before his suicide, according to reporting from The New York Times. Reece Rogers, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024 That bill, among other things, includes a provision that requires school personnel to notify parents if a student confides to be gay or has gender identity concerns. J.d. Davidson | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for confide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confide
Verb
  • The broken statue enjoyed a brief stay at Newbury’s police station before investigators handed it back to the Newbury Business Improvement District for repairs.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
  • But despite his late-season breakout, Grimes shouldn't expect the Sixers to hand him a blank check this summer.
    Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • For that reason, Santoro left Rivolta Femminile and in 1976 founded the Cooperativa Beato Angelico, the first women’s art space in Rome, together with ten other Italian women.
    Paola Ugolini, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The sighting left the researchers with more questions than answers… but that’s the beauty of studying the ocean.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Delegating is about giving your employees a time to learn, to grow, to shine and to expand while also helping to lighten your load and achieve organizational goals.
    Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Both the city’s ad hoc committee on the 2028 Olympic Games and the full council gave its approval this week to several venue changes, including shifting equestrian events from the Valley to Temecula.
    Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Officials eventually rescued all those who had been in the boat, detained them and transferred them to Border Patrol custody, the complaint said.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Trusting her advice, the man agreed to a partial payment and transferred $200 through Zelle, the report said.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The retailer trusts Hémar with its trickiest tasks: managing the rare products that are hazardous, heavy, bulky or non-sortable, ones that generally can’t be automated and sometimes must be moved by forklift.
    Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Players trusted each other, and Staley trusted them.
    Ben Pickman, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • He had been entrusted with enormous responsibility by icons who had been particularly selective about their legacy.
    Brian Welk, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Patients present with a constellation of symptoms, and the doctor is entrusted with bringing clarity to this nebulousness.
    Shreyas Teegala, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In the modern era, attorneys general have delegated those functions to the Office of Legal Counsel.
    Charlie Savage, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Instead of delegating low-level admin work, consider leveraging their expertise to optimize workflows, prep key meetings and manage priorities.
    Kenzie Biggins, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As a rule of thumb, auditors recommend two years of preparation time before a reporting deadline hits.
    Sophia Mendelsohn, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • On closer inspection, however, the high-yield savings accounts recommended by WalletHub and Bankrate are generally FDIC-insured, and opening an account is fairly simple.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Confide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confide. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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