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
  • Flagg only played 23 1/2 minutes as Duke handed Illinois the most lopsided loss in program history.
    Mike Fitzpatrick, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025
  • One reason American voters handed the country’s reins back to President Donald Trump was the extreme inflation in housing prices that took place under his predecessor.
    Salim Furth, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The heat will melt the wax and transfer it to the paper towels, leaving your carpet clean.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025
  • However, another franchise mark is much more in the crosshairs for Werenski: His two assists on Saturday put him at 256 in his career, leaving him only two short of matching Rick Nash’s franchise record with the Blue Jackets.
    Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Choosing either the Four Seasons or Boulders gives a convenient combination of accommodations, spa, food and access to four of the very best golf courses in greater Scottsdale.
    Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Then finding a solution for them, but more give them the illusion of choice.
    Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Before transferring to join Clemson’s inaugural gymnastics program, Clark was also a star at Utah State University.
    Caroline Price, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Bond spent two seasons with Alabama before transferring to Texas for the 2024 season.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • All of it is a process of not knowing and trusting both the work itself and ourselves, constantly checking in with ourselves, our instincts, our motivations.
    Melissa Ragain, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Zelensky remained steadfast on his point that a cease-fire agreement between Ukraine and Russia wouldn't be sufficient without security guarantees from the U.S., and that Putin cannot be trusted.
    Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Known for coining the phrase ‘facial balancing’ in the world of injectables, and for striving to provide the most natural, forward-looking treatments to patients, Lee has been entrusted to treat the faces of celebrities from Kourtney Barker, Kim Kardashian, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba and others.
    Margaux Lushing, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • In Lagos’ pulsating heart, a dying nightclub owner entrusts her legacy to her shy daughter.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Almost immediately, however, Congress began delegating some of that power to the presidency.
    Claire B. Wofford, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
  • This capability extends beyond simple query responses, allowing businesses to delegate multifaceted tasks to AI agents, which come with significant upsides and distinct challenges.
    Tao Zhang, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • For that reason, WOAH recommends robust testing to rule out silent spread of the disease.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts Been there, done this—can’t recommend it enough.
    Jennifer Adams, StyleCaster, 26 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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